XML 69 R58.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.7.0.1

Investments (Distribution Of Securities By Percentage Of Fair Value Below Book Value By More Than 5% For A Continuous Twelve Month Period Or Longer) (Detail) $ in Millions | Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) security | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
--- | --- | ---
Available For Sale Securities [Abstract] |  |
Fixed-maturity securities held as available-for-sale, amortized cost | $ 5,206 | $ 5,450
Available For Sale Securities | $ 5,185 | $ 5,431
> 5% To 15% [Member] |  |
Held To Maturity Securities [Abstract] |  |
Percentage Of Fair Value Below Book Value Minimum | 5.00% |
Percentage Of Fair Value Below Book Value Maximum | 15.00% |
> 5% To 15% [Member] | Unrealized loss position > 12 months |  |
Available For Sale Securities [Abstract] |  |
Number of available-for-sale securities in unrealized loss position | security | 7 |
Fixed-maturity securities held as available-for-sale, amortized cost | $ 15 |
Available For Sale Securities | $ 14 |
Held To Maturity Securities [Abstract] |  |
Number of Held-To-Maturity Securities in unrealized loss position | security | 0 |
Held-To-Maturity Securities Amortized Cost | $ 0 |
Held-To-Maturity Securities Fair Value | $ 0 |
> 15% To 25% [Member] |  |
Held To Maturity Securities [Abstract] |  |
Percentage Of Fair Value Below Book Value Minimum | 15.00% |
Percentage Of Fair Value Below Book Value Maximum | 25.00% |
> 15% To 25% [Member] | Unrealized loss position > 12 months |  |
Available For Sale Securities [Abstract] |  |
Number of available-for-sale securities in unrealized loss position | security | 4 |
Fixed-maturity securities held as available-for-sale, amortized cost | $ 31 |
Available For Sale Securities | $ 25 |
Held To Maturity Securities [Abstract] |  |
Number of Held-To-Maturity Securities in unrealized loss position | security | 0 |
Held-To-Maturity Securities Amortized Cost | $ 0 |
Held-To-Maturity Securities Fair Value | $ 0 |
> 25% To 50% [Member] |  |
Held To Maturity Securities [Abstract] |  |
Percentage Of Fair Value Below Book Value Minimum | 25.00% |
Percentage Of Fair Value Below Book Value Maximum | 50.00% |
> 25% To 50% [Member] | Unrealized loss position > 12 months |  |
Available For Sale Securities [Abstract] |  |
Number of available-for-sale securities in unrealized loss position | security | 1 |
Fixed-maturity securities held as available-for-sale, amortized cost | $ 1 |
Available For Sale Securities | $ 0 |
Held To Maturity Securities [Abstract] |  |
Number of Held-To-Maturity Securities in unrealized loss position | security | 0 |
Held-To-Maturity Securities Amortized Cost | $ 0 |
Held-To-Maturity Securities Fair Value | $ 0 |
> 50% [Member] |  |
Held To Maturity Securities [Abstract] |  |
Percentage Of Fair Value Below Book Value Minimum | 50.00% |
> 50% [Member] | Unrealized loss position > 12 months |  |
Available For Sale Securities [Abstract] |  |
Number of available-for-sale securities in unrealized loss position | security | 1 |
Fixed-maturity securities held as available-for-sale, amortized cost | $ 101 |
Available For Sale Securities | $ 38 |
Held To Maturity Securities [Abstract] |  |
Number of Held-To-Maturity Securities in unrealized loss position | security | 0 |
Held-To-Maturity Securities Amortized Cost | $ 0 |
Held-To-Maturity Securities Fair Value | $ 0 |
Greater Than 5% [Member] | Unrealized loss position > 12 months |  |
Available For Sale Securities [Abstract] |  |
Number of available-for-sale securities in unrealized loss position | security | 13 |
Fixed-maturity securities held as available-for-sale, amortized cost | $ 148 |
Available For Sale Securities | $ 77 |
Held To Maturity Securities [Abstract] |  |
Number of Held-To-Maturity Securities in unrealized loss position | security | 0 |
Held-To-Maturity Securities Amortized Cost | $ 0 |
Held-To-Maturity Securities Fair Value | $ 0 |

X
- Definition Percentage Of Fair Value Below Book Value Maximum + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mbi_PercentageOfFairValueBelowBookValueMaximum
Namespace Prefix: | mbi_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Percentage Of Fair Value Below Book Value Minimum + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mbi_PercentageOfFairValueBelowBookValueMinimum
Namespace Prefix: | mbi_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of investment in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65884222&loc=d3e22054-111558 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (aa) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27232-111563 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66010992&loc=d3e26610-111562 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This item represents the cost of debt and equity securities, which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading, net of adjustments including accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings (less any cumulative-effect adjustments recognized, as defined), and fair value hedge accounting adjustments, if any. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Number of investment positions in available-for-sale investments in a continuous unrealized loss position for which an other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) has not been recognized in the income statement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (b)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27290-111563 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositions1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount after other than temporary impairment (OTTI) accretion, of investments in debt securities classified as held-to-maturity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27232-111563 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65884222&loc=d3e22054-111558 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27232-111563 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.6) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Fair value of investments in debt securities classified as held-to-maturity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (aa) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27232-111563 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27232-111563 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27232-111563 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesFairValue
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Disclosure regarding factors used to determine that the impairment of securities categorized as held-to-maturity where cost exceeds fair value is not an other than temporary impairment (OTTI). This item contains disclosure of the number of investment positions in the held-to-maturity investments determined to be temporarily impaired. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (b)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27290-111563 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositions
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesUnclassifiedAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=mbi_GreaterThanFivePercentToFifteenPercentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | invest_InvestmentAxis=mbi_UnrealizedLossPositionGreaterThanTwelveMonthsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=mbi_GreaterThanFifteenPercentToTwentyFivePercentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=mbi_GreaterThanTwentyFivePercentToFiftyPercentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=mbi_GreaterThanFiftyPercentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=mbi_FairValueBelowBookValueGreaterThanFivePercentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |