The principal amount of new debt issued during the period, excluding premium or discount, if any.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of long-term debt and capital lease obligation due after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 6
-Section H

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Notes payable and other borrowings - Narrative (Detail) - 1 months ended Mar. 31, 2016 € in Millions, $ in Millions	USD ($)	EUR (€)
Insurance and Other Subsidiaries [Member] \| Precision Castparts Corp. [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Other subsidiary borrowings	$ 5,100
Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway (Parent) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued \| €		€ 2,750
Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] \| Notes Due 2020 at 0.50% [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway (Parent) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued \| €		1,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	0.50%
Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] \| Notes Due 2024 at 1.30% [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway (Parent) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued \| €		1,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	1.30%
Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] \| Notes Due 2028 at 2.15% [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway (Parent) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued \| €		€ 750
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	2.15%
Additional Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway (Parent) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued	$ 5,500
Additional Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] \| Notes Due 2021 at 2.20% [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway (Parent) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued	$ 1,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	2.20%
Additional Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] \| Notes Due 2023 at 2.75% [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway (Parent) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued	$ 2,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	2.75%
Additional Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] \| Notes Due 2026 at 3.125% [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway (Parent) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued	$ 2,500
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	3.125%
Senior Notes [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] \| Finance and Financial Products [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued	$ 3,500
Senior Notes [Member] \| Notes Due 2018 at 1.45% [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] \| Finance and Financial Products [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued	$ 750
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	1.45%
Senior Notes [Member] \| Notes Due 2018, Floating Rate [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] \| Finance and Financial Products [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued	$ 1,000
Senior Notes [Member] \| Notes Due 2019 at 1.70% [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] \| Finance and Financial Products [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued	$ 1,250
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	1.70%
Senior Notes [Member] \| Notes Due 2019, Floating Rate [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] \| Finance and Financial Products [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued	$ 500