
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is an independent federal agency that provides insurance to U.S. banks and thrifts. The FDIC was established under the Banking Act of 1933 in response to numerous bank failures during the Great Depression. The FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000 per depositor, per institution, and per ownership category. FDIC insurance covers deposit accounts and other official items such as cashier's checks and money orders. If a bank is federally insured, it will have the FDIC insurance logo on its website. FDIC insurance exists to protect your deposited money if your bank collapses.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To maintain stability and public confidence in the nation's financial system |
| Insured Deposits | Up to $250,000 per depositor, per institution, and per ownership category |
| Insured Accounts | Checking, savings, money market, cashier's checks, money orders, IRAs, revocable and irrevocable trust accounts, and employee benefit plans |
| Uninsured Accounts | Mutual funds, stocks, bonds, annuities, life insurance policies |
| Funding | Member banks' insurance dues, premiums based on risk, federal government loans, debt issuance |
| Number of Insured Institutions | 4,517 as of June 2024 |
| Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) | $129.2 billion as of Q3 2024 |
| Tools | BankFind, Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator (EDIE) |
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What You'll Learn

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
The FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000 per depositor, per institution, and per ownership category. This limit applies to checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs), money market accounts, IRAs, and employee benefit plans. Each ownership category of a depositor's money is insured separately, and deposit accounts are insured only against the failure of a member bank. It's important to note that FDIC insurance does not cover mutual funds, annuities, life insurance policies, stocks, or bonds, or deposits in non-bank financial institutions.
The FDIC is funded by member banks' insurance dues and does not receive support from public funds or the federal budget. It charges premiums based on the risk posed by the insured bank. The FDIC also has responsibilities beyond deposit insurance, including examining and supervising financial institutions for safety, soundness, and consumer protection, as well as managing the resolution of failed banks.
To determine if your deposits are FDIC-insured, you can use the FDIC's BankFind tool or look for the FDIC insurance logo on your bank's website, which is a requirement for insured banks.
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Deposit insurance limits
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is an independent federal agency that provides insurance to U.S. banks and thrifts. The FDIC was established under the Banking Act of 1933 in response to numerous bank failures during the Great Depression. The FDIC began insuring banks on January 1, 1934.
The FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, and per ownership category. This means that if you have multiple accounts at the same bank, the total amount of FDIC insurance coverage you have is still $250,000. However, if you have a joint account with someone else, each of you is insured up to $250,000, for a total of $500,000 in FDIC coverage for that account.
The FDIC does not insure all types of accounts. Checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs), money market accounts, IRAs, and employee benefit plans are typically insured by the FDIC. However, mutual funds, annuities, life insurance policies, stocks, and bonds are not covered by the FDIC.
It's important to note that FDIC insurance is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. This means that the FDIC has the support of the federal government to ensure that insured deposits are protected.
To find out if your deposits are federally insured, you can use the FDIC's BankFind tool or look for the FDIC insurance logo on your bank's website. Additionally, the FDIC provides an Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator (EDIE) to help you calculate how much of your bank deposits are covered by FDIC insurance and whether any portion of your funds exceeds the coverage limits.
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Deposit insurance coverage
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is an independent federal agency that provides insurance to U.S. banks and thrifts. The FDIC was established under the Banking Act of 1933 in response to numerous bank failures during the Great Depression. The FDIC began insuring banks on January 1, 1934, and today, the basic insurance coverage amount for deposit accounts is $250,000. The FDIC does not operate on funds appropriated by Congress; its income is derived from insurance premiums on deposits held by insured banks and savings associations and from interest on the required investment of the premiums in the U.S.
The FDIC provides deposit insurance to member banks, which are primarily funded by insurance dues from member banks. The FDIC charges premiums based on the risk posed by the insured bank. As of Q3 2024, the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) was valued at $129.2 billion, representing a 1.21% reserve ratio. The FDIC also examines and supervises financial institutions for safety, soundness, and consumer protection, and it manages the resolution of failed banks.
To determine if your deposits are federally insured, you can use the FDIC's BankFind tool or look for the FDIC insurance logo on the bank's website, as displaying this logo is a requirement for insured banks. If you're unsure about the level of coverage for your accounts, you can use the FDIC's Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator (EDIE) to calculate the insured amount and identify any portions of your funds that exceed the coverage limits.
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Deposit insurance exceptions
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance is designed to protect your money in the event of a bank failure. The basic insurance coverage amount for deposit accounts is $250,000 per depositor, per institution, and per ownership category. However, there are some exceptions to FDIC insurance coverage.
Firstly, FDIC insurance only applies to deposits in FDIC-insured banks. It is important to verify that your bank is FDIC-insured, as deposits in non-FDIC-insured institutions are not covered. Additionally, FDIC insurance does not cover non-deposit investment products, even if they are offered by FDIC-insured banks. This includes stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and insurance products.
Secondly, FDIC insurance does not cover all types of accounts. While it covers traditional deposit accounts such as checking and savings accounts, it may not cover certain other types of accounts or financial products. For example, safe deposit boxes are not considered deposit accounts and are therefore not insured.
Thirdly, FDIC insurance may not cover all depositors equally. The coverage limit of $250,000 applies per depositor and per ownership category. This means that if you have multiple accounts with different ownership structures, you may be eligible for more than $250,000 in total coverage. For example, if you have a single ownership account and a joint ownership account at the same bank, you will be insured for up to $250,000 for each type of account.
Additionally, FDIC insurance does not cover deposits placed with non-bank financial technology (fintech) companies. If a fintech company places your money in an FDIC-insured bank account, you may be protected under certain conditions, but this is not guaranteed.
Finally, it is important to note that FDIC insurance does not cover losses that occur due to theft, fraud, or accounting errors within the bank. Such issues must be addressed through the bank or through state or federal law.
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Deposit insurance history
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was established under the Banking Act of 1933 in response to numerous bank failures during the Great Depression. The FDIC was founded to boost confidence in the US financial system, which had been rocked by the stock market crash of 1929. By March 1933, over 9,000 banks had failed, causing financial chaos across the country.
The FDIC was tasked with insuring deposits and examining and supervising financial institutions for safety, soundness, and consumer protection. The FDIC began insuring banks on January 1, 1934, with an initial deposit insurance coverage of $2,500. Over time, the FDIC's coverage limits have increased significantly. Today, the basic insurance coverage amount for deposit accounts is $250,000 per depositor, per institution, and per ownership category. The FDIC's insurance covers various deposit accounts and other official items, such as cashier's checks and money orders.
The FDIC's history includes numerous efforts to protect consumers against bank losses. It assesses premiums based on the risk posed by the insured bank and has built a fund to safeguard depositors in the event of bank failures. The FDIC does not rely on public or federal funds; instead, its primary source of funding comes from insurance dues paid by member banks.
The FDIC has continued to evolve, finding alternative ways to protect deposit holders against potential bank insolvency. For example, in 2022, the FDIC simplified ownership categories by combining Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts into a single category. This change made it easier for depositors to understand their insurance coverage and ensured more comprehensive protection.
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Frequently asked questions
The FDIC is an independent federal agency that provides insurance to U.S. banks and thrifts in the event of bank failures. It was established under the Banking Act of 1933 in response to numerous bank failures during the Great Depression.
The FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000 per depositor, per institution and per ownership category. It covers checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs), money market accounts, IRAs, and employee benefit plans.
Yes, some types of uninsured products are not covered by the FDIC even if they are purchased through a covered financial institution. These include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, insurance and annuity products, and the contents of safe deposit boxes.
You can search for your bank on the FDIC's BankFind tool or look for the FDIC insurance logo on the bank's website. Displaying this logo is a requirement for insured banks.
The FDIC insurance covers up to $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, and per ownership category. If you have more than this amount, you can consider spreading your money across multiple FDIC-insured banks or placing it in different account categories to maximize insurance protection.















![Federal Deposit Insurance Act: [As Amended Through P.L. 117–263, Enacted December 23, 2022]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/517mroyL3UL._AC_UY218_.jpg)



























