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Goodwill and other intangible assets - Intangible assets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | Jun. 30, 2024 | Dec. 31, 2023
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Insurance and Other [Member] |  |
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Gross carrying amount | $ 44,018 | $ 43,988
Accumulated amortization | 15,230 | 14,661
Net carrying value | 28,788 | 29,327
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] |  |
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Gross carrying amount | 8,858 | 8,858
Accumulated amortization | 1,290 | 1,045
Net carrying value | 7,568 | 7,813
Customer relationships [Member] | Insurance and Other [Member] |  |
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Gross carrying amount | 28,274 | 28,305
Accumulated amortization | 8,214 | 7,901
Net carrying value | 20,060 | 20,404
Trademarks and trade names [Member] | Insurance and Other [Member] |  |
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Gross carrying amount | 5,625 | 5,619
Accumulated amortization | 859 | 846
Net carrying value | 4,766 | 4,773
Trademarks and trade names [Member] | Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] |  |
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Gross carrying amount | 3,592 | 3,592
Accumulated amortization | 161 | 98
Net carrying value | 3,431 | 3,494
Customer relationships and contracts [Member] | Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] |  |
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Gross carrying amount | 4,093 | 4,092
Accumulated amortization | 920 | 791
Net carrying value | 3,173 | 3,301
Other intangible assets [Member] | Insurance and Other [Member] |  |
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Gross carrying amount | 4,765 | 4,826
Accumulated amortization | 1,863 | 1,805
Net carrying value | 2,902 | 3,021
Other intangible assets [Member] | Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] |  |
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Gross carrying amount | 1,173 | 1,174
Accumulated amortization | 209 | 156
Net carrying value | 964 | 1,018
Patents and technology [Member] | Insurance and Other [Member] |  |
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Gross carrying amount | 5,354 | 5,238
Accumulated amortization | 4,294 | 4,109
Net carrying value | $ 1,060 | $ 1,129

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- Definition Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Sum of the carrying amounts of intangible assets, excluding goodwill, as of the balance sheet date, net of accumulated amortization and impairment charges. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Accumulated amount of amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482640/350-30-55-40 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 350 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S45 -Paragraph 1 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480265/350-10-S45-1 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482665/350-30-50-2 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(16)) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1 + Details
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