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Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts - Components of Loss and Loss Expense Reserves and Subrogation Recoverable (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Feb. 12, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Components of Loss and Loss Expense Reserves and Subrogation Recoverable [Line Items]
satisfaction and discharge of segregated account deferred amounts				$ 3,000,158
Ceded Loss And Loss Expenses Paid Not Yet Recovered	$ 550	$ 90	$ 510
Loss Reserves Ceded To Reinsurers	26,238	38,735	22,623		$ 40,658
Policyholder Benefits and Claims Incurred, Ceded	4,996	(1,354)
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense, Net	(176,033)	$ 205,588	(129,505)		$ 4,073,144
Loss and loss expense reserves	1,694,163		1,826,078
Subrogation recoverable	(1,916,117)		(1,932,960)
Claim liability reported on Balance Sheet, before reinsurance	(221,954)		(106,882)
Present Value of Expected Net Cash Flows- Claims and Loss Expenses [Member]
Components of Loss and Loss Expense Reserves and Subrogation Recoverable [Line Items]
Loss and loss expense reserves	2,045,886		2,246,335
Subrogation recoverable	175,114		175,694
Claim liability reported on Balance Sheet, before reinsurance	2,221,000		2,422,029
Present Value of Expected Net Cash Flows-Recoveries [Member]
Components of Loss and Loss Expense Reserves and Subrogation Recoverable [Line Items]
Loss and loss expense reserves	(274,846)		(313,595)
Subrogation recoverable	(2,091,231)		(2,108,654)
Claim liability reported on Balance Sheet, before reinsurance	(2,366,077)		(2,422,249)
Unearned Premium Reserve [Member]
Components of Loss and Loss Expense Reserves and Subrogation Recoverable [Line Items]
Loss and loss expense reserves	(76,877)		(106,662)
Subrogation recoverable	0		0
Claim liability reported on Balance Sheet, before reinsurance	$ (76,877)		$ (106,662)

X

- Definition

Ceded Loss And Loss Expenses Paid Not Yet Recovered

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

[Line Items] for Components of Loss and Loss Expense Reserves and Subrogation Recoverable [Table]

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No definition available.

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- Definition

The known and estimated amount recoverable as of the balance sheet date from reinsurers for claims expected to be paid or incurred by the ceding insurer.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

satisfaction and discharge of segregated account deferred amounts

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- Definition

Liability as of the balance sheet date for amounts representing estimated cost of settling unpaid claims under the terms of the underlying insurance policies, less estimated reinsurance recoveries on such claims. This includes an estimate for claims which have been incurred but not reported. Claim adjustment expenses represent the costs estimated to be incurred in the settlement of unpaid claims.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(13)(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

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-Section 50
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- Definition

The amount needed to reflect the estimated ultimate cost of settling claims relating to financial default insured events that have occurred on or before a particular date (ordinarily, the balance sheet date) and the amount needed to provide for the estimated ultimate cost required to investigate and settle claims relating to insured events that have occurred on or before a particular date (ordinarily, the balance sheet date), whether or not reported to the insurer at that date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
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- Definition

Amount of reduction of provision for policy benefits and costs incurred for policies ceded.

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Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99397103&loc=d3e6811-158387

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- Definition

The estimated amount as of the balance sheet date to be received by an insurer from the sale of property (usually damaged) on which the insurer has paid a total claim to the insured and has obtained title to the property and the right of an insurer to pursue any course of recovery of damages, in its name or in the name of the policyholder, against a third party who is liable for costs relating to an insured event that have been paid by the insurer. Estimated salvage and subrogation is generally deducted from the liability for unpaid claims.

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- Definition

This element represents the claim liability, reported on or included in the statement of financial position, related to financial guarantee insurance contracts and presented in the schedule of insured financial obligations with credit deterioration in the context of each surveillance grouping or category used by management to monitor and track potential deterioration in the credit worthiness of the insured party's ability to meet its financial obligations related to the contracts underlying financial guarantee insurance contracts the entity has issued.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB
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-SubTopic 40
-Section 55
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