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Notes payable and other borrowings - Narrative (Detail) € in Millions, £ in Millions, $ in Millions, ¥ in Billions | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Apr. 30, 2024 USD ($) | Apr. 30, 2024 JPY (¥) | Mar. 31, 2024 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2024 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2023 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2024 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2023 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2024 JPY (¥) | Jun. 30, 2024 EUR (€) | Jun. 30, 2024 GBP (£) | Dec. 31, 2023 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes payable and other borrowings |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ¥ 1,522.0 | € 5,850 | £ 1,750 |
Line of Credit and Commercial Paper Facilities [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Unused lines of credit available |  |  |  | $ 11,300 |  | $ 11,300 |  |  |  |  |
Line of Credit and Commercial Paper Facilities [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy and Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Unused lines of credit available |  |  |  | 10,100 |  | 10,100 |  |  |  |  |
Insurance and Other [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes payable and other borrowings |  |  |  | 41,940 |  | 41,940 |  |  |  |  | $ 42,692
Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Subsidiaries Excluding Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Guarantee obligation |  |  |  | $ 2,700 |  | $ 2,700 |  |  |  |  |
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Weighted average interest rate, percentage |  |  |  | 4.50% |  | 4.50% |  | 4.50% | 4.50% | 4.50% |
Notes payable and other borrowings |  |  |  | $ 4,623 |  | $ 4,623 |  |  |  |  | 4,696
Insurance and Other [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of borrowings |  |  |  |  |  | 1,100 |  |  |  |  |
Insurance and Other [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gains (loss) attributable to changes in foreign currency exchange rates |  |  |  | 588 | $ 555 | $ 1,400 | $ 529 |  |  |  |
Insurance and Other [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Debt Due 2027 to 2054 [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Principal amount of debt issued | $ 1,700 | ¥ 263.3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Insurance and Other [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year |  |  |  |  |  | 2024 |  |  |  |  |
Insurance and Other [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Debt Due 2027 to 2054 [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate during period | 0.974% | 0.974% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year | 2027 | 2027 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Insurance and Other [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year |  |  |  |  |  | 2051 |  |  |  |  |
Insurance and Other [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Debt Due 2027 to 2054 [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate during period | 2.498% | 2.498% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year | 2054 | 2054 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes payable and other borrowings |  |  |  | $ 81,688 |  | $ 81,688 |  |  |  |  | 85,579
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Weighted average interest rate, percentage |  |  |  | 4.60% |  | 4.60% |  | 4.60% | 4.60% | 4.60% |
Notes payable and other borrowings |  |  |  | $ 43,367 |  | $ 43,367 |  |  |  |  | 39,072
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Pilot Travel Centers And Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from borrowings |  |  | $ 5,700 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Weighted average interest rate, percentage |  |  |  | 0.00% |  | 0.00% |  | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Notes payable and other borrowings |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 5,776
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Term Debt [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy and Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of borrowings |  |  |  |  |  | $ 4,000 |  |  |  |  |
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Term Debt [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Principal amount of debt issued |  |  |  |  |  | $ 5,400 |  |  |  |  |
Weighted average interest rate, percentage |  |  |  | 5.40% |  | 5.40% |  | 5.40% | 5.40% | 5.40% |
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Senior Unsecured Debentures [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | BNSF [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of borrowings |  |  |  | $ 500 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Principal amount of debt issued |  |  |  | $ 1,300 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage |  |  |  | 5.50% |  | 5.50% |  | 5.50% | 5.50% | 5.50% |
Debt maturity year |  |  |  | 2055 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year |  |  |  |  |  | 2024 |  |  |  |  |
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Term Debt [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year |  |  |  |  |  | 2029 |  |  |  |  |
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year |  |  |  |  |  | 2064 |  |  |  |  |
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Term Debt [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year |  |  |  |  |  | 2055 |  |  |  |  |

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