Note 14 - Statutory Information Statutory Information (Details) (USD $)		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	76 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014 Radian Guaranty [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Radian Guaranty [Member]	Jul. 31, 2014 Radian Asset Assurance [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Radian Asset Assurance [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Radian Asset Assurance [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Radian Asset Assurance [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Radian Asset Assurance [Member] NEW YORK	Dec. 31, 2015 Radian Asset Assurance [Member] Scenario, Forecast [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Radian Asset Assurance [Member] Minimum [Member] NEW YORK	Sep. 30, 2014 Radian Asset Assurance [Member] Minimum [Member] New York State Department of Financial Services [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Radian Asset Assurance [Member] Maximum [Member] NEW YORK	Sep. 30, 2014 Financial Guarantee Insurance Product Line [Member] Radian Asset Assurance [Member] Minimum [Member] New York State Department of Financial Services [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Other Insurance Product Line [Member] Radian Asset Assurance [Member] Minimum [Member] New York State Department of Financial Services [Member]
Statutory Accounting Practices [Line Items]
Restricted Net Assets Held by Consolidated Subsidiaries	$ 1,900,000,000
Statutory Accounting Practices, Statutory Net Income Amount		393,600,000	(23,800,000)		(7,400,000)	(24,900,000)
Statutory capital		1,326,100,000	1,317,800,000		1,033,100,000	1,198,000,000	1,033,100,000
Statutory contingency reserve		291,400,000	23,000,000		287,700,000	264,000,000	287,700,000
Statutory Accounting Practices, Percent of Statutory Surplus to Policyholders Available for Dividend Payments without Regulatory Approval								10.00%
Statutory Accounting Practices, Percent of Statutory Adjusted Net Investment Income Available for Dividend Payments without Regulatory Approval								100.00%
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company by Consolidated Subsidiaries				150,000,000
Statutory Accounting Practices, Statutory Amount Available for Dividend Payments without Regulatory Approval									26,500,000
Claims Paying Resources					1,400,000,000		1,400,000,000
Percentage Reduction Of Net Par Outstanding							83.00%
Net Par Outstanding					19,400,000,000		19,400,000,000
Aggregate Risk Limit For Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts										0.33%		4.00%
Statutory Minimum Policyholders' Surplus Required For Financial Guaranty Insurers In The State Of New York											$ 66,400,000		$ 65,000,000	$ 1,400,000