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Business segment data - Earnings (loss) before income taxes (Detail) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Sep. 30, 2020
Sep. 30, 2021
Sep. 30, 2020
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Investment and derivative contract gains $ 4,921 $ 31,582 $ 38,015 $ 1,392
Equity method investments 377 290 775 333
Earnings (loss) before income taxes 12,484 37,930 62,733 10,290
Operating Businesses [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 7,268 6,958 24,088 20,348
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 317 929 4,616 5,704
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 1,337 1,220 4,205 4,480
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 (289) 276 1,360 3,320
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 (708) (441) (1,298) (2,033)
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 (23) (126) 349 (63)
Operating Businesses [Member] | BNSF [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 2,029 1,777 5,667 4,855
Operating Businesses [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 1,375 1,122 2,797 2,074
Operating Businesses [Member] | Manufacturing Businesses [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 2,445 2,255 7,595 5,765
Operating Businesses [Member] | McLane Company [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses (8) 96 179 205
Operating Businesses [Member] | Service and Retailing Businesses [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses 1,110 779 3,234 1,745
Segment Reconciling Items [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Investment and derivative contract gains 4,921 31,582 38,015 1,392
Interest expense, not allocated to segments (128) (116) (386) (363)
Equity method investments 377 290 775 333
Goodwill and intangible impairments   (25)   (10,659)
Corporate, Eliminations and Other [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Earnings (loss) before income taxes from operating businesses $ 46 $ (759) $ 241 $ (761)