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v3.25.1

Notes payable and other borrowings - Narrative (Detail) € in Millions, £ in Millions, $ in Millions, ¥ in Billions | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Apr. 30, 2025 USD ($) | Apr. 30, 2025 JPY (¥) | Mar. 31, 2025 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2024 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2025 JPY (¥) | Mar. 31, 2025 EUR (€) | Mar. 31, 2025 GBP (£) | Dec. 31, 2024 USD ($)
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes payable and other borrowings |  |  |  |  | ¥ 1,988.0 | € 4,850 | £ 1,750 |
Line of Credit and Commercial Paper Facilities [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Unused and available lines of credit |  |  | $ 11,700 |  |  |  |  |
Line of Credit and Commercial Paper Facilities [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy and Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Unused and available lines of credit |  |  | 10,600 |  |  |  |  |
Insurance and Other [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes payable and other borrowings |  |  | 44,461 |  |  |  |  | $ 44,885
Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Subsidiaries Excluding Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Guarantee obligation |  |  | $ 2,700 |  |  |  |  |
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Weighted average interest rate, percentage |  |  | 4.40% |  | 4.40% | 4.40% | 4.40% |
Notes payable and other borrowings |  |  | $ 4,551 |  |  |  |  | 4,564
Insurance and Other [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of borrowings |  |  | 1,300 |  |  |  |  |
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 |  |  | $ 936 | $ 781 |  |  |  |
Insurance and Other [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Debt Due 2028 to 2055 [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of borrowings | $ 289 | ¥ 41.6 |  |  |  |  |  |
Principal amount of debt issued | $ 632 | ¥ 90.0 |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate during period | 1.637% | 1.637% |  |  |  |  |  |
Insurance and Other [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year |  |  | 2025 |  |  |  |  |
Insurance and Other [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Debt Due 2028 to 2055 [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year | 2028 | 2028 |  |  |  |  |  |
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] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Debt Due 2028 to 2055 [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year | 2055 | 2055 |  |  |  |  |  |
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes payable and other borrowings |  |  | $ 81,466 |  |  |  |  | 79,877
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Weighted average interest rate, percentage |  |  | 4.70% |  | 4.70% | 4.70% | 4.70% |
Notes payable and other borrowings |  |  | $ 44,579 |  |  |  |  | $ 42,150
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Term Debt [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of borrowings |  |  | 890 |  |  |  |  |
Principal amount of debt issued |  |  | $ 2,400 |  |  |  |  |
Weighted average interest rate, percentage |  |  | 6.50% |  | 6.50% | 6.50% | 6.50% |
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year |  |  | 2025 |  |  |  |  |
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Term Debt [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year |  |  | 2035 |  |  |  |  |
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] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Term Debt [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt maturity year |  |  | 2055 |  |  |  |  |

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