
An insured depository institution is a bank or savings association whose deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) pursuant to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. This means that the FDIC protects a depositor's funds at the bank in the event that the bank fails. Each depositor is insured up to $250,000 per person, and the FDIC is required to pay out to insured depositors as soon as possible, usually within a few days. Insured depository institutions are required to display signs indicating that their deposits are insured by the FDIC.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Any bank or savings association whose deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) pursuant to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act |
| Institutions included | Any uninsured branch or agency of a foreign bank or a commercial lending company owned or controlled by a foreign bank |
| Display requirements | Insured depository institutions must display signs at each place of business indicating that deposits are insured and backed by the full faith and credit of the US government |
| Penalties | Institutions that fail to display the required signs are subject to a penalty of up to $100 per day |
| Deposit insurance | The FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000 per person |
| Coverage | The FDIC provides automatic coverage for traditional deposit accounts such as checking and savings accounts, money market deposit accounts, and certificates of deposit |
| Payment in case of bank failure | The FDIC is required to pay insured depositors as soon as possible, typically within a few days, either through a check or a new account at a different institution |
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What You'll Learn
- Insured depository institutions are protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
- The FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000 per person
- The FDIC is funded by premiums charged to member banks
- The FDIC does not insure credit unions
- The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) insures credit unions

Insured depository institutions are protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
An insured depository institution is any bank or savings association whose deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), as outlined in the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. This means that if the bank fails, the FDIC will pay off the failed institution's deposit liabilities or pay another institution to assume them. FDIC insurance covers deposits in all types of accounts at FDIC-insured banks, including traditional accounts like checking and savings accounts, as well as certificates of deposit (CDs). Coverage is automatic when you open one of these account types at an FDIC-insured bank. Each person is insured up to $250,000 per person, per bank.
The FDIC is an independent agency created by Congress to maintain stability and public confidence in the nation's financial system. It insures deposits, examines and supervises financial institutions for safety, soundness, and consumer protection, and manages receiverships. The FDIC is funded by premiums charged to member banks and is not funded by taxpayer money.
It's important to note that FDIC deposit insurance does not cover non-deposit investment products, even those offered by FDIC-insured banks. Additionally, FDIC insurance only applies to banks, and it does not cover credit unions or non-bank financial institutions. Credit unions are typically insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), which provides similar protection for credit union members' accounts.
To find out if a bank is FDIC-insured, individuals can use the FDIC's Bank Find tool on its website or call the FDIC directly. It is important for depositors to ensure their bank is FDIC-insured to have the protection of the FDIC in the event of a bank failure.
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The FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000 per person
An insured depository institution is defined as any bank or savings association whose deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. The FDIC insures deposits of up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. This means that if an FDIC-insured bank fails, the FDIC will pay depositors up to $250,000 per person. This insurance covers all deposit types, including certificates of deposit (CDs), checking, savings, and money market deposit accounts (MMDAs).
The FDIC's insurance coverage is not limited to a single account. If a person has multiple accounts at the same insured bank, the FDIC will add together the balances of all their Single Accounts and insure the total up to $250,000. For example, if a person has four Single Accounts at the same insured bank with a total balance of $260,000, the FDIC will insure the total balance up to $250,000, leaving $10,000 uninsured. It is important to note that funds deposited in separate branches of the same insured bank are not separately insured.
The FDIC's insurance coverage also extends to different ownership categories. If a person has a single ownership account at an FDIC-insured bank and a joint ownership account with one or more people at the same bank, they will be insured for up to $250,000 for their single ownership account deposits and separately for their ownership interest up to $250,000 for all their joint ownership account deposits.
Additionally, the FDIC's insurance coverage applies to accounts at different FDIC-insured banks. If a person has a single ownership account in one FDIC-insured bank and another single ownership account in a different FDIC-insured bank, they will be insured for up to $250,000 for each account.
It is worth noting that the FDIC's insurance coverage has certain exceptions. For example, as of April 1, 2024, the maximum insurance coverage for a trust owner with five or more beneficiaries is $1,250,000 per owner for all trust accounts held at the same bank.
In summary, the FDIC insures deposits of up to $250,000 per person, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. This insurance coverage provides protection for depositors in the event of bank failure and ensures that their funds are secure across multiple accounts and FDIC-insured banks.
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The FDIC is funded by premiums charged to member banks
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is a corporation that was established in 1933 by the 1933 Banking Act. The FDIC is funded by premiums charged to its member banks and not by taxpayer money or public funds. The amount of premium charged is based on the risk that the insured bank poses. The FDIC manages the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) which is used to pay its operating costs and the depositors of failed banks. The DIF is invested in Treasury securities and earns interest income on its securities, which supplements the premiums.
The FDIC provides deposit insurance to banks, ensuring that customers' money is protected in the event that the bank goes bankrupt or can no longer honor its obligations to depositors. Each person is insured up to $250,000 by the FDIC. The FDIC also examines and supervises certain financial institutions for safety and soundness and performs certain consumer-protection functions.
The DIF balance and reserve ratio are published in the Quarterly Banking Profile. The FDIC has charged assessments and maintained the DIF since its creation, and these systems have evolved over time based on data and experience from banking crises. During the savings and loan crisis and the 2008 financial crisis, the FDIC expended its entire insurance fund and met its insurance obligations by borrowing through the Federal Financing Bank or using operating cash.
The Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 revised the FDIC's fund management authority by setting requirements for the Designated Reserve Ratio (DRR) and redefining the assessment base, which is used to calculate banks' quarterly assessments. The FDIC developed a long-term management plan to reduce pro-cyclicality and achieve moderate and steady assessment rates while maintaining a positive fund balance during economic and credit cycles.
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The FDIC does not insure credit unions
In the United States, all banks are required to have Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance. This means that the FDIC protects a depositor's funds at the bank in the event that the bank fails. However, the FDIC does not insure credit unions. Credit unions are instead insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), which was established in 1970. The NCUA is an independent federal agency that provides federal insurance for deposits at credit unions, similar to what the FDIC does for banks. Both the FDIC and the NCUA offer deposit insurance of up to $250,000 per depositor, per account ownership category. This ensures that customers' money is protected in case the financial institution holding their money goes bankrupt or can no longer honour its obligations to depositors.
The NCUSIF (National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund) is a federal insurance fund backed by the full faith and credit of the US government. It is administered by the NCUA and protects members' accounts in federally insured credit unions in the unlikely event of a credit union failure. Each member credit union contributes 1% of insured shares toward the NCUA, and these funds are used to cover potential claims and operating costs. Importantly, no credit union has lost insured savings since the inception of the NCUA.
While the FDIC does not insure credit unions, it is important to note that credit unions are still well-protected by the NCUA. The NCUA also runs programs to help financially struggling credit unions stay afloat. To ensure maximum protection, individuals can open multiple types of accounts from different credit unions. By diversifying their accounts, individuals can take advantage of the $250,000 coverage provided by the NCUA for each account type.
It is worth mentioning that there are about 15 states that allow credit unions to choose between federal government insurance or private insurance. While private insurance may be cheaper, it does not carry the same level of assurance as government-backed insurance since the government controls the money supply. Therefore, when considering a credit union in one of these states, it is essential to verify the type of insurance it has and ensure that your funds are adequately protected.
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The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) insures credit unions
The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is an independent federal agency that was created by Congress in 1970 to insure members' deposits in federally insured credit unions. The NCUA is responsible for regulating federal credit unions, insuring deposits, and protecting members of credit unions.
The NCUA administers the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF), which is a federal insurance fund backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. The NCUSIF protects members' accounts in federally insured credit unions in the unlikely event of a credit union failure.
Credit unions are insured by the NCUA up to $250,000 per individual depositor, which is the same amount that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures bank accounts. This ensures that customers' money is protected in case the bank that holds their money goes bankrupt or can no longer honour its obligations to depositors.
It is important to note that the NCUA does not insure money invested in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, life insurance policies, annuities, or municipal securities, even if these investment or insurance products are sold at a federally insured credit union. Credit unions often provide these services to their members through third parties, and the investment and insurance products are not insured by the NCUSIF.
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Frequently asked questions
An insured depository institution is any bank or savings association insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) pursuant to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act.
The FDIC protects depositors' funds in the event that the bank fails. The FDIC is required to pay insured depositors as soon as possible, usually within a few days, either by cheque or by opening an account at a different institution.
The FDIC insures up to $250,000 per person.
The FDIC is funded by premiums charged to member banks. It is not funded by taxpayer money.










































