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Net Premiums Earned - Premiums Written on Gross and Net Basis (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Financial Guarantee:
Gross premiums written	$ (55,310)	$ 242,573	$ (175,777)	$ (125,712)
Ceded premiums written	2,082	(2,047)	18,055	18,742
Net premiums written	$ (53,228)	$ 240,526	$ (157,722)	$ (106,970)

X

- Definition

Premiums written directly by insurer for all financial guarantee insurance contracts and premiums assumed for all financial guarantee insurance contracts assumed from other insurers as a result of reinsurance arrangements.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Premiums assumed for all financial guarantee insurance contracts by another insurer as a result of reinsurance arrangements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 17

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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 113

-Paragraph 27

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.



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- Definition

Premiums written for all financial guarantee insurance contracts and reinsurance contracts after subtracting any amounts ceded to another insurer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6480758&loc=d3e6811-158387



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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933001&loc=SL5747862-161289



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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 17

-Article 12



Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

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-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.



Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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