Business Combinations - Pro Forma (Details) (Atlantic Credit and Finance, Inc. [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Atlantic Credit and Finance, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information, Nonrecurring Adjustment [Line Items]
Consolidated pro forma revenue	$ 278,913	$ 250,977	$ 834,301	$ 586,952
Consolidated pro forma income from continuing operations attributable to Encore	$ 31,106	$ 24,444	$ 81,989	$ 56,773

The pro forma income from continuing operations before changes in accounting and extraordinary items, net of tax effect, for the period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (h)(2)-(3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1392-128463

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Period Type:	duration