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Business segment data - Earnings (loss) before income taxes (Detail) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Sep. 30, 2019
Sep. 30, 2020
Sep. 30, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Investment and derivative contract gains/losses $ 31,582 $ 10,926 $ 1,392 $ 41,296
Equity method earnings (losses) 290 644 333 936
Earnings (loss) before income taxes 37,930 20,489 10,290 65,895
Operating Businesses [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 6,958 8,538 20,348 23,443
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 929 2,363 5,704 6,440
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Interest, Dividend and Other Investment Income [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 1,220 1,782 4,480 4,916
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | GEICO [Member] | Insurance Premiums Earned [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 276 376 3,320 1,539
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group [Member] | Insurance Premiums Earned [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses (441) 52 (2,033) (305)
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group [Member] | Insurance Premiums Earned [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses (126) 153 (63) 290
Operating Businesses [Member] | BNSF [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 1,777 1,941 4,855 5,379
Operating Businesses [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 1,122 1,061 2,074 2,194
Operating Businesses [Member] | Manufacturing Businesses [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 2,255 2,484 5,765 7,205
Operating Businesses [Member] | McLane Company [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 96 50 205 220
Operating Businesses [Member] | Service and Retailing Businesses [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 779 639 1,745 2,005
Segment Reconciling Items [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Investment and derivative contract gains/losses 31,582 10,926 1,392 41,296
Interest expense, not allocated to segments (116) (96) (363) (312)
Equity method earnings (losses) 290 644 333 936
Goodwill and intangible asset impairments (25)   (10,659)  
Corporate, Eliminations and Other [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses $ (759) $ 477 $ (761) $ 532