Other Assets - Components of Other Assets (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Deferred Costs, Capitalized, Prepaid, and Other Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Deferred tax assets	$ 50,997us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther	$ 33,716us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther
Debt issuance costs, net of amortization	39,794us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsNet	38,504us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsNet
Prepaid expenses	23,074	21,427
Identifiable intangible assets, net	18,770	21,564
Interest receivable	15,381us-gaap_InterestReceivable	12,187us-gaap_InterestReceivable
Service fee receivables	10,384ecpg_ServiceFeeReceivable	7,864ecpg_ServiceFeeReceivable
Other financial receivables	7,934us-gaap_OtherReceivables	7,467us-gaap_OtherReceivables
Recoverable legal fees	2,856ecpg_RecoverableLegalFees	2,905ecpg_RecoverableLegalFees
Receivable from seller	6,987ecpg_OtherReceivableDuefromSeller	7,357ecpg_OtherReceivableDuefromSeller
Security deposits	4,963us-gaap_SecurityDeposit	3,617us-gaap_SecurityDeposit
Funds held in escrow	0us-gaap_EscrowDeposit	16,889us-gaap_EscrowDeposit
Other	32,963us-gaap_OtherAssetsMiscellaneous	24,169us-gaap_OtherAssetsMiscellaneous
Total other assets	$ 214,103us-gaap_OtherAssets	$ 197,666us-gaap_OtherAssets

Other Receivable, Due from Seller

No definition available.

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- Definition

Recoverable legal fees.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Service Fee Receivable

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ecpg_
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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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- Definition

For an unclassified balance sheet, the carrying amount (net of accumulated amortization) as of the balance sheet date of capitalized costs associated with the issuance of debt instruments (for example, legal, accounting, underwriting, printing, and registration costs) that will be charged against earnings over the life of the debt instruments to which such costs pertain.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28555-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 17

-Article 5

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences not separately disclosed.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 20

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=29652012&loc=d3e28680-109314

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319

+ Details

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- Definition

The designation of funds furnished by a borrower to a lender to assure future payments of the borrower's real estate taxes and insurance obligations with respect to a mortgaged property. Escrow deposits may be made for a variety of other purposes such as earnest money and contingent payments. This element excludes replacement reserves which are an escrow separately provided for within the US GAAP taxonomy.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts of all intangible assets, excluding goodwill, as of the balance sheet date, net of accumulated amortization and impairment charges.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388964&loc=d3e16212-109274

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph ((a)(1),(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of interest earned but not received. Also called accrued interest or accrued interest receivable.

+ 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 210.5-02.8)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 8

-Article 5

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

The aggregate carrying amounts, as of the balance sheet date, of assets not separately disclosed in the balance sheet.

+ 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 210.5-02.17)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 17

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 10

-Article 7

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of other miscellaneous assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Carrying amounts due as of the balance sheet date from parties or arising from transactions not otherwise specified in the taxonomy.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of expenditures made in advance of when the economic benefit of the cost will be realized, and which will be expensed in future periods with the passage of time or when a triggering event occurs.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.10)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 10

-Article 9

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.10)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of an asset, typically cash, provided to a counterparty to provide certain assurance of performance by the entity pursuant to the terms of a written or oral agreement, such as a lease.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant