Description of Business	9 Months Ended
Description of Business	Aug. 31, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Description of Business	Description of Business Emergent Capital, Inc. was founded in December 2006 as a Florida limited liability company, Imperial Holdings, LLC, and converted into Imperial Holdings, Inc. on February 3, 2011, in connection with our initial public offering. Effective September 1, 2015, the name was changed to Emergent Capital, Inc. (with its subsidiary companies, the "Company" or "Emergent Capital"). Risks and Uncertainties The outbreak of COVID-19, which is a rapidly evolving situation, has adversely impacted global commercial activities. The Company does not believe that there is any significant impact to the Financial Statements as of August 31, 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company is monitoring the developments relating to COVID-19 and is coordinating its operational response based on existing business continuity plans and ongoing guidance from global health organizations, relevant governments, and general pandemic response best practices. Equity Investment in White Eagle Asset Portfolio Emergent Capital indirectly owns a 27.5% equity investment, having an estimated fair value of approximately $152.5 million at August 31, 2020, in White Eagle Asset Portfolio, LP ("White Eagle"), which was previously a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company that holds a portfolio of life settlements. The Company primarily earns income through change in fair value and distributions from its equity investment in White Eagle. On August 16, 2019, the Company entered into a subscription agreement (the "Subscription Agreement") with Lamington Road Designated Activity Company (formerly known as Lamington Road Limited) ("Lamington" or "Class B Limited Partner"), White Eagle, White Eagle General Partner, LLP ( "WEGP" or "Withdrawing General Partner"), and Palomino JV, L.P. ("Palomino" or "Class A Limited Partner"), pursuant to which White Eagle sold to Palomino 72.5% of its limited partnership interests, consisting of all of the newly issued and outstanding Class A and Class D interests, and WEGP sold to an affiliate (the "Manager") of Jade Mountain Partners, LLC ("Jade Mountain"), all of its general partnership interests (collectively, the "WE Investment") for a purchase price of approximately $366.2 million and $8.0 million for the Class A and Class D interests, respectively. Pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, Lamington retained 27.5% of the limited partnership interests of White Eagle, consisting of all of the newly issued and outstanding Class B interests in exchange for all of its previously owned White Eagle limited partnership interests with a value of approximately $138.9 million on the closing date. The consummation of the transaction under the Subscription Agreement resulted in the Company being a minority owner in White Eagle, as a result the entity is treated as an equity investment. Activities for our investment in White Eagle are included in Note 11 "Investment in Limited Partnership" of the accompanying consolidated financial statements for further information. Litigation Settlement and Disposal of Life Settlement On December 4, 2019, the Company and certain of its subsidiaries entered into a Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release (the "Settlement Agreement") with Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada ("Sun Life") and Wilmington Trust, N.A. as securities intermediary ("Wilmington Trust"). Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, 31 life insurance policies with face value totaling $163.5 million issued by Sun Life were canceled in exchange for a lump sum payment of $36.1 million. The settlement included two policies held by the Company outside of White Eagle with an aggregate face value of $12.0 million, 28 policies held by White Eagle with an aggregate face value of $141.5 million and one policy with a face value of $10.0 million in receivable for maturity for White Eagle. Of this amount, approximately $12.7 million was received by the Company, $13.4 million was paid to White Eagle and $10.0 million was paid to Wilmington Trust for the maturity receivable. With this settlement, the Company no longer directly owns any life insurance policies. Subsequent Event Sale of Imperial Life Settlements, LLC On September 15, 2020, the Company sold its wholly-owned subsidiary, Imperial Life Settlements, LLC ("ILS"), to an unrelated third party. Included in the sale were viatical and/or life settlement provider licenses, permits and authorizations issued to ILS by 12 states. In connection with the sale of ILS and such licenses, the Company voluntarily surrendered licenses issued to ILS by 17 other states. Such licenses are required in connection with the purchase of existing life settlements, but are not required for ownership of life settlements. The Company no longer acquires life settlements, and therefore does not need to maintain the licenses and their related deposits and expenses. Voluntary Petitions for Reorganization On October 15, 2020 (the "2020 Petition Date"), Emergent Capital and its wholly-owned subsidiary Red Reef Alternative Investment, LLC ("Red Reef") filed voluntary petitions for relief (the "2020 Chapter 11 Cases") under chapter 11 of title 11 of the United States Code (the "Bankruptcy Code") in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the "Bankruptcy Court"). Emergent Capital and Red Reef will continue to operate their business as "debtors-in-possession" under the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Court and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and the orders of the Bankruptcy Court. On October 14, 2020, Emergent Capital entered into two substantially identical Restructuring Support Agreements (together with all exhibits and schedules thereto, the "RSAs") with certain holders of the 8.5% Senior Secured Notes and with certain holders of the 5.0% Convertible Notes (such holders collectively, the "Supporting Holders"). In the aggregate, the Supporting Holders hold at least a majority of each of the 8.5% Senior Secured Notes and the 5.0% Convertible Notes. See Note 21, "Subsequent Events", to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for further information.