SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Percentage of premium written in Iowa and contiguous states (in hundredths)	37.00%emci_PercentageOfPremiumsWrittenInIowa
Percentage of net premiums written subject to policyholder dividends (in hundredths)	26.00%
Investment securities on deposit	$ 11,685us-gaap_AssetsHeldByInsuranceRegulators	$ 11,533us-gaap_AssetsHeldByInsuranceRegulators
Average annual expense for accounts receivable charge-offs over past ten years	$ 354

Refers to the Company's share of the average annual charge-offs of accounts receivable by the entity's parent over the past ten-year period. These charge-offs ultimately are the responsibility of the reporting entity, and are an off-balance sheet credit exposure in the meantime.

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	emci_AverageAnnualChargeOffsPastTenYears
Namespace Prefix:	emci_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Refers to percentage of premiums written subject to policyholder dividends.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	emci_PercentageOfNetPremiumsWrittenSubjectToPolicyHolderDividends
Namespace Prefix:	emci_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Refers to percentage of premiums written in Iowa and contiguous states.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	emci_PercentageOfPremiumsWrittenInIowa
Namespace Prefix:	emci_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountingPoliciesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount of cash and investment securities on deposit with state regulatory authorities in connection with capital requirements.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 320

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28366721&loc=d3e22002-158495

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsHeldByInsuranceRegulators
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant