Notes payable and other borrowings (Detail) - USD ($)
$ in Millions |
12 Months Ended |
|
Dec. 31, 2018 |
Dec. 31, 2017 |
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2019 |
$ 12,212
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2020 |
5,589
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2021 |
5,521
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2022 |
4,962
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2023 |
9,437
|
|
| Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Notes payable and other borrowings |
16,871
|
$ 18,767
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2019 |
752
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2020 |
1,149
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2021 |
2,131
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2022 |
613
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2023 |
3,991
|
|
| Insurance and Other [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Notes payable and other borrowings |
34,975
|
40,409
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2019 |
6,760
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2020 |
2,811
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2021 |
3,261
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2022 |
1,616
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2023 |
5,371
|
|
| Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | U.S. Dollar Denominated [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Notes payable and other borrowings |
$ 9,065
|
10,603
|
| Weighted average interest rate, percentage |
3.10%
|
|
| Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Euro Denominated [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Notes payable and other borrowings |
$ 7,806
|
8,164
|
| Weighted average interest rate, percentage |
1.10%
|
|
| Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Minimum [Member] | U.S. Dollar Denominated [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2019
|
|
| Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Euro Denominated [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2020
|
|
| Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Maximum [Member] | U.S. Dollar Denominated [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2047
|
|
| Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Euro Denominated [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2035
|
|
| Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Other borrowings |
$ 5,597
|
6,884
|
| Short-term debt |
$ 1,857
|
1,832
|
| Weighted average interest rate, percentage |
4.00%
|
|
| Short-term debt, weighted average interest rate |
4.30%
|
|
| Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Minimum [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2019
|
|
| Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Maximum [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2045
|
|
| Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Notes payable and other borrowings |
$ 10,650
|
12,926
|
| Weighted average interest rate, percentage |
3.40%
|
|
| Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] | Minimum [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2019
|
|
| Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] | Maximum [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2048
|
|
| Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Notes payable and other borrowings |
$ 62,515
|
62,178
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2019 |
5,452
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2020 |
2,778
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2021 |
2,260
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2022 |
3,346
|
|
| Principal payments on debt - 2023 |
$ 4,066
|
|
| Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Weighted average interest rate, percentage |
4.60%
|
|
| Senior unsecured debt |
$ 8,577
|
6,452
|
| Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member] | Minimum [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2020
|
|
| Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member] | Maximum [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2049
|
|
| Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Notes payable and other borrowings |
$ 28,196
|
28,739
|
| Weighted average interest rate, percentage |
4.70%
|
|
| Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] | Minimum [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2019
|
|
| Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] | Maximum [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2064
|
|
| Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy and Subsidiaries [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Short-term debt |
$ 2,516
|
4,488
|
| Short-term debt, weighted average interest rate |
3.10%
|
|
| Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Burlington Northern Santa Fe and subsidiaries [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Notes payable and other borrowings |
$ 23,226
|
$ 22,499
|
| Weighted average interest rate, percentage |
4.70%
|
|
| Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Burlington Northern Santa Fe and subsidiaries [Member] | Minimum [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2019
|
|
| Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Burlington Northern Santa Fe and subsidiaries [Member] | Maximum [Member] |
|
|
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] |
|
|
| Debt maturity year |
2097
|
|