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Contingencies and Commitments - Narrative (Detail) - USD ($)
$ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Aug. 08, 2015
Nov. 13, 2014
Duracell Company [Member] | Procter & Gamble Company [Member] | Purchase Agreement [Member]      
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]      
Cash to be acquired at closing     $ 1,700
Value of shares agreed to exchange in business acquisition     $ 3,800
Precision Castparts Corp [Member] | Purchase Agreement [Member]      
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]      
Potential business acquisition, cash price per share   $ 235  
Investment, number of shares owned   2.7  
Percentage of shares owned prior to acquisition   1.96%  
Cash committed to be paid for a potential business acquisition   $ 31,700  
Berkadia Commercial Mortgage (investee) [Member]      
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]      
Voting interest in investee 50.00%    
Commercial paper outstanding $ 2,470    
Berkadia Commercial Mortgage (investee) [Member] | Leucadia National Corporation (venture partner) [Member]      
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]      
Voting interest in investee 50.00%    
Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group [Member]      
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]      
Reimbursement rate from joint venture partner of Company's surety bond claim losses 50.00%    
Surety bonds [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group [Member]      
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]      
Guarantee obligation, maximum amount of exposure $ 2,500