Investment in Limited Partnership - Narrative (Details)			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Dec. 04, 2019 USD ($) contract	Aug. 16, 2019 USD ($)	Oct. 15, 2020 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2020 USD ($) contract	Aug. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2020 USD ($) contract	Aug. 31, 2019 USD ($)	May 31, 2020 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2019 USD ($)
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Premium/expense reserve				$ 26,123,000	$ 21,800,000	$ 26,123,000	$ 21,800,000	$ 22,224,000	$ 4,195,000
Premium/expense reserve distributions				30,289,000	8,210,000	85,241,000	8,210,000
Investment in life settlements fair value									1,297,000
Proceeds from maturity of life settlements	$ 12,700,000
Distributions paid to Class A Partner to satisfy minimum return				34,188,000		117,138,000
Distributions received from premium/expense account				34,200,000		107,200,000
Balance on collection account pending distribution				3,777,000		3,777,000		5,643,000	13,007,000
Face value of life insurance policies matured				43,225,000		133,275,000
Maturity proceeds received - face				32,050,000		107,276,000
Receivable for maturity of life insurance policies				39,725,000		39,725,000		$ 28,550,000	13,726,000
Investment in limited partnership				152,450,000		152,450,000			137,849,000	[1]
Change in fair value of investment in limited partnership, net of distributions (Notes 11 and 16)				4,250,000	$ (5,821,000)	20,601,000	$ (5,821,000)
White Eagle
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Number of life insurance policies matured | contract	2
Proceeds from maturity of life settlements	$ 2,000,000.0
Affiliates
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Contributions to premium/expense account				26,600,000		74,000,000.0
Accrued and unpaid interest outstanding				1,000,000.0		1,000,000.0
WE Investment
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Investment in life settlements fair value				$ 2,400,000,000		$ 2,400,000,000
Life insurance, number of policies | contract				500		500
Weighted average life expectancy of life settlement contracts						6 years 7 months 6 days
Estimated future premium payments on life settlement contracts				$ 983,374,000		$ 983,374,000
WE Investment | Lamington
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Equity investment ownership percentage		27.50%
Investment in limited partnership		$ 138,900,000		$ 152,500,000		$ 152,500,000			$ 137,800,000
Palomino | Affiliates | White Eagle
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Percentage of equity interest sold		72.50%
Sun Life
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Number of life insurance policies matured | contract	31
Investment in life settlements fair value	$ 163,500,000
Proceeds from maturity of life settlements	36,100,000
Sun Life | White Eagle
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Investment in life settlements fair value	$ 141,500,000
Life insurance, number of policies | contract	28
Number of life insurance policies in receivable for maturity | contract	1
Receivable from maturity of life insurance contracts	$ 10,000,000.0
Payments for sale of life insurance contracts	$ 13,400,000
Sun Life | Emergent Capital, Inc.
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Number of life insurance policies matured | contract	2
Investment in life settlements fair value	$ 12,000,000.0
Proceeds from maturity of life settlements	12,700,000
Sun Life | Wilmington Trust
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Payments for sale of life insurance contracts	10,000,000.0
Revolving Credit Facility
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Repayment of outstanding principal on line of credit		$ 368,000,000.0
Repayment of accrued and unpaid interest on line of credit		21,300,000
Revolving Credit Facility | CLMG
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Line of credit payoff		402,500,000
Revolving Credit Facility | CLMG | White Eagle
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Line of credit payoff		28,300,000
Revolving Credit Facility | LNV
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Early repayments of line of credit		7,400,000
Lender-allowed claims		$ 5,800,000
Collateral pledged | WE Investment | Lamington
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Equity investment ownership percentage		27.50%
Collateral pledged | Revolving Credit Facility | White Eagle
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Number of life insurance policies matured | contract				13		33
Gain on maturities of life insurance policies				$ 30,000,000.0		$ 78,500,000
Weighted average age of life insurance policies matured				88 years 10 months 24 days		88 years 7 months 6 days
Weighted average remaining life expectancy of life insurance policies matured				4 years 6 months		4 years 1 month 6 days
Ratio of realized gains of life insurance policies				69.00%		58.90%
Class A Interests
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Premium/expense reserve distributions		$ 1,800,000		$ 1,700,000		$ 5,300,000
Class A Interests | Affiliates
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Internal rate of return guaranteed to majority owner of partnership investment		11.00%
Initial contribution percentage		100.00%
Percentage of amounts funded into premium/expense		100.00%
Premium/expense reserve		$ 30,000,000.0
Premium/expense reserve distributions		8,300,000
Contributions to premium/expense account		21,800,000
Class A Interests | Affiliates | For the first 3 years
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of limited partnership interest		$ 8,000,000.0
Period for distribution of proceeds from limited partnership interest		3 years
Class A Interests | Affiliates | For the subsequent 7 years
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of limited partnership interest		$ 4,000,000.0
Period for distribution of proceeds from limited partnership interest		7 years
Class A Interests | Affiliates | White Eagle
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of limited partnership interest		$ 366,200,000
Class A Interests | Affiliates | Subsequent Event
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Contributions to premium/expense account			$ 667,000
Class A Interests | Sun Life | White Eagle
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Payments for sale of life insurance contracts	$ 13,400,000
Class A Interests | Revolving Credit Facility | CLMG | Palomino
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Purchase price of acquired equity interest		374,200,000
Proceeds from sale of limited partnership interest		366,200,000
Principal balance of proceeds		406,000,000.0		392,600,000		392,600,000
Premium/expense reserve		$ 21,800,000
Class D Interests | Affiliates
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Internal rate of return guaranteed to majority owner of partnership investment		11.00%
Percentage of payment amount		125.00%
Class D Interests | Affiliates | White Eagle
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of limited partnership interest		$ 8,000,000.0
Class D Interests | Revolving Credit Facility | CLMG | Palomino
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Purchase price of acquired equity interest allocated to Class D		8,000,000.0
Annual amount guaranteed to majority owners of limited partnership		$ 2,000,000.0
Internal rate of return guaranteed to majority owner of partnership investment		11.00%
Premium/expense reserve		$ 8,000,000.0
Premium/expense reserve distributions		1,800,000
Principal and interest payment amount allocated to Class D		$ 10,000,000.0		934,000		934,000
Principal amount allocated to Class D				8,000,000.0		8,000,000.0
Payments to limited partnership						0
Class B Interests
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Premium/expense reserve distributions				2,000,000		6,000,000
Class B Interests | Affiliates
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Period for distribution of proceeds from limited partnership interest		8 years
Internal rate of return guaranteed to majority owner of partnership investment		11.00%
Accrued and unpaid interest outstanding				$ 8,300,000		$ 8,300,000
Class B Interests | Affiliates | Third Anniversary
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Monthly distribution amount		$ 667,000
Percentage of net assets value for monthly distribution from limited partners		0.125%
Class B Interests | Affiliates | Tenth Anniversary
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Monthly distribution amount		$ 333,000
Percentage of net assets value for monthly distribution from limited partners		0.0625%
Class B Interests | Revolving Credit Facility | CLMG | Palomino
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Premium/expense reserve		$ 8,300,000

[1] Derived from audited consolidated financial statements.