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Ownership, Description of Business, and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) - country | 9 Months Ended |
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Sep. 30, 2015 | Oct. 31, 2015
Tax Liens, Real Estate [Abstract] |  |
Property tax liens, collections from foreclosure, percentage of properties (less than) | 0.50% |
Subsequent event [Member] |  |
Subsequent Event [Line Items] |  |
Number of countries in which Company operates |  | 13

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- Definition Property Tax Lien, Collection from Foreclosure, Percentage of Properties + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | ecpg_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition The number of countries in which the entity operates as of balance sheet date. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NumberOfCountriesInWhichEntityOperates
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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

X
- Definition Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SubsequentEventLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |