v3.26.1
Notes payable and other borrowings (Detail)
€ in Millions, £ in Millions, $ in Millions, ¥ in Billions
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2026
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2026
EUR (€)
Jun. 30, 2026
GBP (£)
Jun. 30, 2026
JPY (¥)
Dec. 31, 2025
USD ($)
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Notes payable and other borrowings   € 4,850 £ 1,750 ¥ 2,481  
Insurance and Other [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Notes payable and other borrowings $ 43,302       $ 45,763
Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | U.S. Dollar Denominated [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Notes payable and other borrowings $ 1,048       3,547
Weighted average interest rate, percentage 4.50% 4.50% 4.50% 4.50%  
Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | U.S. Dollar Denominated [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2043        
Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | U.S. Dollar Denominated [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2047        
Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Euro Denominated [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Notes payable and other borrowings $ 4,088       4,201
Weighted average interest rate, percentage 1.40% 1.40% 1.40% 1.40%  
Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Euro Denominated [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2027        
Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Euro Denominated [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2041        
Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Japanese Yen Denominated [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Notes payable and other borrowings $ 15,228       14,914
Weighted average interest rate, percentage 1.40% 1.40% 1.40% 1.40%  
Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Japanese Yen Denominated [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2026        
Insurance and Other [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] | Japanese Yen Denominated [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2060        
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Notes payable and other borrowings $ 3,459       3,518
Short-term debt $ 1,289       1,321
Weighted average interest rate, percentage 5.10% 5.10% 5.10% 5.10%  
Short-term borrowings, weighted average interest rate 5.60% 5.60% 5.60% 5.60%  
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2026        
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2051        
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | U.S. Dollar Denominated [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Notes payable and other borrowings $ 14,478       14,475
Weighted average interest rate, percentage 3.60% 3.60% 3.60% 3.60%  
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | U.S. Dollar Denominated [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2027        
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | U.S. Dollar Denominated [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2052        
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Euro Denominated [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Notes payable and other borrowings $ 1,424       1,464
Weighted average interest rate, percentage 1.80% 1.80% 1.80% 1.80%  
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Euro Denominated [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2030        
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Euro Denominated [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2034        
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Great Britain Pound Denominated [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Notes payable and other borrowings $ 2,288       2,323
Weighted average interest rate, percentage 2.50% 2.50% 2.50% 2.50%  
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Great Britain Pound Denominated [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2039        
Insurance and Other [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Great Britain Pound Denominated [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2059        
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Notes payable and other borrowings $ 85,297       83,318
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy ("BHE") [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Weighted average interest rate, percentage 4.40% 4.40% 4.40% 4.40%  
Senior unsecured debt $ 11,463       11,461
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy ("BHE") [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2028        
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy ("BHE") [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2053        
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Notes payable and other borrowings $ 48,930       45,798
Weighted average interest rate, percentage 4.90% 4.90% 4.90% 4.90%  
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2026        
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 $ 1,374       1,997
Short-term borrowings, weighted average interest rate 4.30% 4.30% 4.30% 4.30%  
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Burlington Northern Santa Fe ("BNSF") and subsidiaries [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Notes payable and other borrowings $ 23,530       $ 24,062
Weighted average interest rate, percentage 4.80% 4.80% 4.80% 4.80%  
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Burlington Northern Santa Fe ("BNSF") and subsidiaries [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2026        
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member] | Burlington Northern Santa Fe ("BNSF") and subsidiaries [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt maturity year 2097