Debt - Components of Debt (Detail) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Encore revolving credit facility	$ 487,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCredit	$ 505,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Encore term loan facility	144,063,000us-gaap_OtherLongTermDebt	146,023,000us-gaap_OtherLongTermDebt
Encore senior secured notes	40,000,000us-gaap_SeniorNotes	43,750,000us-gaap_SeniorNotes
Encore convertible notes	448,500,000us-gaap_ConvertibleNotesPayable	448,500,000us-gaap_ConvertibleNotesPayable
Less: Debt discount	(48,924,000)	(51,202,000)
Add: Debt premium	61,482,000	67,259,000
Preferred equity certificates	204,019,000ecpg_PreferredEquityCertificates	208,312,000ecpg_PreferredEquityCertificates
Capital lease obligations	13,924,000us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligations	15,331,000us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligations
Debt and capital lease obligations, total	2,690,882,000us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations	2,773,554,000us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations
Other [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Other	22,977,000	38,785,000
Cabot Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Encore revolving credit facility	105,123,000	86,368,000
Propel facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Encore revolving credit facility	90,653,000	84,229,000
Propel securitized notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Encore senior secured notes	97,622,000	104,247,000
Cabot Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Encore senior secured notes	$ 1,024,443,000	$ 1,076,952,000

Preferred Equity Certificates

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount equal to the present value (the principal) at the beginning of the lease term of minimum lease payments during the lease term (excluding that portion of the payments representing executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes to be paid by the lessor, together with any profit thereon) net of payments or other amounts applied to the principal through the balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of a written promise to pay a note, initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer, which can be exchanged for a specified amount of one or more securities (typically common stock), at the option of the issuer or the holder.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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- Definition

Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of all debt, including all short-term borrowings, long-term debt, and capital lease obligations.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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- Definition

The amount of debt discount that was originally recognized at the issuance of the instrument that has yet to be amortized.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

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- Definition

The amount of debt premium that was originally recognized at the issuance of the instrument that has yet to be amortized.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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-Publisher FASB

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- Definition

Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, including current and noncurrent amounts. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

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-Publisher SEC

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- Definition

Including both current and noncurrent portions, carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of other forms of debt not elsewhere specified in the taxonomy with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

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- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of Notes with the highest claim on the assets of the issuer in case of bankruptcy or liquidation (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer). Senior note holders are paid off in full before any payments are made to junior note holders.

+ References

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