Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation	Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, all of its wholly-owned subsidiary companies and its special purpose entities, with the exception of Imperial Settlements Financing 2010, LLC (“ISF 2010”), an unconsolidated special purpose entity which is accounted for using the cost method of accounting. The special purpose entity has been created to fulfill specific objectives. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation, including income from services performed by subsidiary companies in connection with the Revolving Credit Facilities. Notwithstanding consolidation, as referenced above, White Eagle is the owner of 439 policies, with an aggregate death benefit of approximately $2.2 billion and an estimated fair value of approximately $327.4 million and Red Falcon is the owner of 157 policies with an aggregate death benefit of approximately $604.8 million and an estimated fair value of approximately $117.4 million, in each case, at September 30, 2015. The unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the rules and regulations of the SEC for Form 10-Q and therefore do not include certain information, accounting policies, and footnote disclosures information or footnotes necessary for a complete presentation of financial position, results of operations and cash flows in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. However, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals), which, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair presentation of the financial statements, have been included. Operating results for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for future periods or for the year ended December 31, 2015. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in Emergent Capital's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014. Discontinued Operations On October 25, 2013, the Company sold substantially all of the assets comprising its structured settlement business for $12.0 million. As a result, the Company has discontinued segment reporting and classified its operating results of the structured settlement business as discontinued operations. The accompanying consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, and the related consolidated statements of operations for each of the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, and the related notes to the consolidated financial statements reflect the classification of its structured settlement business operating results as discontinued operations. See Note 7, “Discontinued Operations,” for further information. Unless otherwise noted, the following notes refer to the Company’s continuing operations. Derivative Instrument In February 2014, the Company issued and sold $70.7 million in aggregate principal amount of 8.50% senior unsecured convertible notes due 2019 (the “Convertible Notes”). Prior to shareholder approval on June 5, 2014 to issue shares of common stock upon conversion of the Convertible Notes in excess of New York Stock Exchange limits for share issuances without shareholder approval, the Convertible Notes contained an embedded derivative feature. In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 815, Derivatives and Hedging, derivative instruments are recognized as either assets or liabilities on the Company’s balance sheet and are measured at fair value with gains or losses recognized in earnings. Embedded derivatives that are not clearly and closely related to the host contract, such as the Convertible Notes, are bifurcated and recognized at fair value with changes in fair value recognized as either a gain or loss in earnings if they can be reliably measured. The Company determined the fair value of its embedded derivative based upon available market data and unobservable inputs using a Black Scholes pricing model. In accordance with ASC 815, upon receipt of shareholder approval on June 5, 2014, the Company reclassified the embedded derivative to equity along with unamortized transaction costs proportionate to the allocation of the initial debt discount and the principal amount of the Convertible Notes. The Convertible Notes are recorded at accreted value and will continue to be accreted up to the par value of the Convertible Notes at maturity. See Note 11, "8.50% Senior Unsecured Convertible Notes." Foreign Currency The Company owns certain foreign subsidiary companies formed under the laws of Ireland, Bahamas and Bermuda. These foreign subsidiary companies utilize the U.S. dollar as their functional currency. Any gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions (transactions denominated in a currency other than the subsidiary companies functional currency) are included in income. These gains and losses are immaterial to the Company’s financial statements. Use of Estimates The preparation of these consolidated financial statements, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”), requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates and such differences could be material. Significant estimates made by management include income taxes, the valuation of life settlements, the valuation of the debt owing under the Revolving Credit Facilities, the valuation of equity awards and the valuation of the conversion derivative liability formerly embedded within the Company’s Convertible Notes.

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, all of its wholly-owned subsidiary companies and its special purpose entities, with the exception of Imperial Settlements Financing 2010, LLC (“ISF 2010”), an unconsolidated special purpose entity which is accounted for using the cost method of accounting. The special purpose entity has been created to fulfill specific objectives. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation, including income from services performed by subsidiary companies in connection with the Revolving Credit Facilities. Notwithstanding consolidation, as referenced above, White Eagle is the owner of 439 policies, with an aggregate death benefit of approximately $2.2 billion and an estimated fair value of approximately $327.4 million and Red Falcon is the owner of 157 policies with an aggregate death benefit of approximately $604.8 million and an estimated fair value of approximately $117.4 million, in each case, at September 30, 2015.

The unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the rules and regulations of the SEC for Form 10-Q and therefore do not include certain information, accounting policies, and footnote disclosures information or footnotes necessary for a complete presentation of financial position, results of operations and cash flows in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. However, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals), which, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair presentation of the financial statements, have been included. Operating results for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for future periods or for the year ended December 31, 2015. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in Emergent Capital's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.

Discontinued Operations

On October 25, 2013, the Company sold substantially all of the assets comprising its structured settlement business for $12.0 million. As a result, the Company has discontinued segment reporting and classified its operating results of the structured settlement business as discontinued operations. The accompanying consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, and the related consolidated statements of operations for each of the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, and the related notes to the consolidated financial statements reflect the classification of its structured settlement business operating results as discontinued operations. See Note 7, “Discontinued Operations,” for further information. Unless otherwise noted, the following notes refer to the Company’s continuing operations.

Derivative Instrument

In February 2014, the Company issued and sold $70.7 million in aggregate principal amount of 8.50% senior unsecured convertible notes due 2019 (the “Convertible Notes”). Prior to shareholder approval on June 5, 2014 to issue shares of common stock upon conversion of the Convertible Notes in excess of New York Stock Exchange limits for share issuances without shareholder approval, the Convertible Notes contained an embedded derivative feature. In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 815, Derivatives and Hedging, derivative instruments are recognized as either assets or liabilities on the Company’s balance sheet and are measured at fair value with gains or losses recognized in earnings. Embedded derivatives that are not clearly and closely related to the host contract, such as the Convertible Notes, are bifurcated and recognized at fair value with changes in fair value recognized as either a gain or loss in earnings if they can be reliably measured. The Company determined the fair value of its embedded derivative based upon available market data and unobservable inputs using a Black Scholes pricing model. In accordance with ASC 815, upon receipt of shareholder approval on June 5, 2014, the Company reclassified the embedded derivative to equity along with unamortized transaction costs proportionate to the allocation of the initial debt discount and the principal amount of the Convertible Notes. The Convertible Notes are recorded at accreted value and will continue to be accreted up to the par value of the Convertible Notes at maturity. See Note 11, "8.50% Senior Unsecured Convertible Notes."

Foreign Currency

The Company owns certain foreign subsidiary companies formed under the laws of Ireland, Bahamas and Bermuda. These foreign subsidiary companies utilize the U.S. dollar as their functional currency. Any gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions (transactions denominated in a currency other than the subsidiary companies functional currency) are included in income. These gains and losses are immaterial to the Company’s financial statements.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of these consolidated financial statements, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”), requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates and such differences could be material. Significant estimates made by management include income taxes, the valuation of life settlements, the valuation of the debt owing under the Revolving Credit Facilities, the valuation of equity awards and the valuation of the conversion derivative liability formerly embedded within the Company’s Convertible Notes.