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Business segment data (Detail) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Jun. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2015
Jun. 30, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues $ 51,368 $ 49,762 $ 100,012 $ 95,215
Total earnings before income taxes 5,846 8,916 13,493 15,514
Operating Businesses [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 51,560 47,326 98,704 91,334
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses 6,059 6,555 12,325 11,846
Operating Businesses [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 11,738 10,824 22,368 21,191
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses 1,286 2,135 3,120 3,796
Operating Businesses [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group [Member] | Geico [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Premiums earned 5,619 5,081 11,004 9,965
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses 53 393 213 746
Operating Businesses [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group [Member] | General Re [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Premiums earned 1,494 1,610 2,992 3,167
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses 107 116 60 196
Operating Businesses [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Premiums earned 1,978 1,583 3,425 3,605
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses (411) (9) 48 174
Operating Businesses [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Premiums earned 1,309 1,049 2,519 2,002
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses 203 137 378 236
Operating Businesses [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group [Member] | Investment Income [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Interest, dividend and other investment income 1,338 1,501 2,428 2,452
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses 1,334 1,498 2,421 2,444
Operating Businesses [Member] | BNSF [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 5,369 5,735 10,971 11,182
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses 1,536 1,472 3,208 2,641
Operating Businesses [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 4,543 4,185 8,874 8,491
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses 649 578 1,245 1,197
Operating Businesses [Member] | McLane Company [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 12,293 11,722 23,936 22,176
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses 147 126 278 241
Operating Businesses [Member] | Manufacturing Businesses [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 9,524 9,613 18,387 18,254
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses 1,393 1,369 2,598 2,437
Operating Businesses [Member] | Service and Retailing Businesses [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 6,294 3,605 10,815 6,963
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses 498 453 882 740
Operating Businesses [Member] | Finance and Financial Products Reportable Segment [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 1,799 1,642 3,353 3,077
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses 550 422 994 794
Intersegment Eliminations and Other Reconciling Items [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Investment and derivative gains/losses 188 2,521 1,603 3,888
Revenues (380) (85) (295) (7)
Interest expense (189) (77) (308) (154)
Earnings before income taxes from operating businesses $ (212) $ (83) $ (127) $ (66)