Note 10 - Losses and Loss Adjustment Expense Mortgage Insurance Reserve for Losses and LAE Rollforward (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Loss reserve [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period		$ 401,361
Deduct paid claims and LAE related to [Abstract]
Balance at end of period		398,141
Mortgage Insurance Segment
Loss reserve [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period		397,891	$ 507,588
Less: Reinsurance recoverables	[1]	11,009	8,350
Balance at beginning of period, net of reinsurance recoverables		386,882	499,238
Add losses and LAE incurred in respect of default notices reported and unreported in [Abstract]
Incurred Losses and LAE Current year	[2]	107,866	100,047
Incurred Losses and LAE Prior years		(10,579)	(24,075)
Total incurred losses and LAE		97,287	75,972
Deduct paid claims and LAE related to [Abstract]
Paid Losses and LAE Current year	[2]	1,784	2,316
Paid losses and LAE Prior years		101,927	173,911
Total paid losses and LAE		103,711	176,227
Balance at end of period, net of reinsurance recoverables		380,458	398,983
Add: Reinsurance recoverables	[1]	13,629	9,997
Balance at end of period		$ 394,087	$ 408,980

[1] Related to ceded losses recoverable, if any, on reinsurance transactions. See Note 7 for additional information.

[2] Related to underlying defaulted loans with a most recent default notice dated in the year indicated. For example, if a loan had defaulted in a prior year, but then subsequently cured and later re-defaulted in the current year, that default would be considered a current year default.