FDIC: Deposit Insurance At A Glance (2024)

SUMMARY OF TRUST RULE CHANGE:

  • 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 (including POD/ITF, revocable, and irrevocable trusts) held at the same bank.
  • Depositors can name as many beneficiaries as they wish, however the coverage limit will not exceed $1,250,000 as of April 1, 2024.
  • This coverage change applies to both existing and new trust accounts, for all deposit products, including CDs regardless of purchase or maturity date.

You can learn more about the new changes by reviewing this fact sheet.

Questions?

You can submit your inquiry using the FDIC Information and Support Center.
You can also call the FDIC at 1-877-275-3342 or 1-877-ASK-FDIC.

FDIC: Deposit Insurance At A Glance (1)

Deposit Insurance At A Glance

Since the FDIC began operations in 1934, the FDIC sign on bank teller windows has served as a symbol of financial safety and security. When you visit a bank, whether in person or online, and see the FDIC Official Sign, you know the financial institution is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government, and that your money on deposit is safe.

Consumers have a variety of options for where they can deposit their money and how they can access banking products and services. However, FDIC deposit insurance is only available for money on deposit at an FDIC-insured bank.

This brochure provides basic information about the types of accounts that are insured, coverage limits, and how the FDIC insures your money if your bank fails.

For more detailed information about deposit insurance coverage, our Your Insured Deposits brochure may be helpful.

  • View brochure as PDF
  • View brochure as PDF (Español)

What types of deposits are insured?

At FDIC-insured banks, the FDIC insures money in deposit products, including:

  • Checking Accounts
  • Negotiable Order of Withdrawal (NOW) Accounts
  • Savings Accounts
  • Money Market Deposit Accounts (MMDAs)
  • Time Deposits, such as Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
  • Cashier's Checks, Money Orders, and other official items issued by a bank

The FDIC does not insure:

  • Stock Investments
  • Bond Investments
  • Mutual Funds
  • Crypto Assets
  • Life Insurance Policies
  • Annuities
  • Municipal Securities
  • Safe Deposit Boxes or their contents
  • U.S. Treasury Bills, Bonds, or Notes*
    *These investments are not insured by the FDIC, but they are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

How do I know that my money is insured?

FDIC insurance coverage is automatic when you open a deposit account at an FDIC-insured bank. You can confirm that your bank is insured by searching for it in the BankFind tool available on our website at www.fdic.gov or you can call the FDIC at 1-877-ASK-FDIC (1-877-275-3342).

How much of my money is insured?

The standard insurance amount is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. When calculating an individual’s coverage amount, the FDIC adds together all of the deposit accounts you hold in the same ownership category at the same bank regardless of the deposit type (e.g., Certificates of Deposit (CDs), checking, savings, or money market deposit accounts (MMDAs)).

This means that if you have deposits in different account categories at the same FDIC-insured bank, your insurance coverage may be more than $250,000, if all requirements are met.

If you have accounts at different FDIC-insured banks, the limit applies at each bank: $250,000 per depositor for each account ownership category.

You can calculate your specific insurance coverage amount using the Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator (EDIE), a calculator that is available on the FDIC’s website.

If my bank fails, how does the FDIC protect my money?

Deposit insurance coverage protects depositors against the failure of an insured bank; it does not protect against losses due to theft or fraud, which are addressed by other laws. In the unlikely event of a bank failure, the FDIC acts quickly to ensure that all depositors get prompt access to their insured deposits. FDIC deposit insurance covers the balance of each depositor's account, dollar-for-dollar, up to the insurance limit, including principal and any accrued interest through the date of the insured bank's failure.

In many cases, a failed bank is acquired by another FDIC-insured bank. When this occurs, customers of the failed bank are able to access their money through the acquiring bank.

In the event a failed bank is not acquired by another bank, the FDIC conducts a quick and thorough process to identify all customers, calculate their deposit insurance coverage, and provide their money to them as quickly as possible.

When your money is in an FDIC-insured bank, you can rest assured. Since 1934, no depositor has lost a penny of their FDIC-insured funds.

FDIC Deposit Insurance Coverage Limits by Account Ownership Category
Single Accounts (i.e., accounts owned by one person, no beneficiaries) $250,000 per owner
Joint Accounts (i.e., accounts owned by two or more persons, no beneficiaries) $250,000 per co-owner
Certain Retirement Accounts (including IRAs) $250,000 per owner regardless of the number of beneficiaries
Trust Accounts (With Beneficiaries)
  • Informal Revocable Trusts
    • Payable on Death (POD) or In Trust For (ITF)
  • Formal Revocable Trusts
  • Irrevocable Trusts
$250,000 per beneficiary, using the following formula:

# of Owners X # of Distinct Beneficiaries X $250,000 = Amount Insured
(not to exceed $1,250,000 per owner for all trust accounts)

Corporation, Partnership and Unincorporated Association Accounts $250,000 per corporation, partnership or unincorporated association
Employee Benefit Plan Accounts $250,000 for the non-contingent interest of each plan participant
Government Accounts $250,000 per official custodian
(more coverage available subject to specific conditions)

For More Information from the FDIC

Call Toll-Free
1-877-ASK-FDIC (1-877-275-3342)

Calculate deposit insurance coverage using the FDIC’s Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator (EDIE)

Read more about FDIC deposit insurance on our Deposit Insurance webpage

View frequently asked questions on deposit insurance coverage

Order FDIC deposit insurance products through the FDIC Online Catalog

Submit deposit insurance questions online using the FDIC Information and Support Center

Submit deposit insurance questions by U.S. Mail
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Attn: Deposit Insurance Unit
550 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20429

FDIC: Deposit Insurance At A Glance (2024)

FAQs

Does the FDIC have enough money to cover deposits? ›

A: Yes. The FDIC insures deposits according to the ownership category in which the funds are insured and how the accounts are titled. The standard deposit insurance coverage limit is $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category.

What are the FDIC rules for deposit insurance? ›

The standard maximum deposit insurance amount is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. The FDIC insures deposits that a person holds in one insured bank separately from any deposits that the person owns in another separately chartered insured bank.

Why don t millionaires worry about FDIC insurance? ›

Millionaires don't worry about FDIC insurance. Their money is held in their name and not the name of the custodial private bank.

How to get around FDIC limits? ›

Here are four ways you may be able to insure more than $250,000 in deposits:
  1. Open accounts at more than one institution. This strategy works as long as the two institutions are distinct. ...
  2. Open accounts in different ownership categories. ...
  3. Use a network. ...
  4. Open a brokerage deposit account.

Does FDIC cover $500,000 on a joint account? ›

If a couple has a joint money market deposit account, a joint savings account, and a joint CD at the same insured bank, each co-owner's shares of the three accounts are added together and insured up to $250,000 per owner, providing up to $500,000 in coverage for the couple's joint accounts.

Is it safe to have more than $250000 in a bank account? ›

An account that contains more than $250,000 at one bank, or multiple accounts with the same owner or owners, is insured only up to $250,000. The protection does not come from taxes or congressional funding. Instead, banks pay into the insurance system, and the insurance provides their customers with protection.

How to maximize FDIC insurance at one bank? ›

The standard insurance amount is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each ownership category. This means that by having accounts in different ownership categories, like single accounts and joint accounts, you can get more than $250,000 in coverage.

Do beneficiaries count for FDIC insurance? ›

The FDIC adds together all deposits in retirement accounts listed above owned by the same person at the same insured bank and insures the total amount up to a maximum of $250,000. Beneficiaries can be named on these accounts, but that does not increase the amount of the deposit insurance coverage.

Does FDIC cover two accounts at the same bank? ›

The FDIC adds together all single accounts owned by the same person at the same bank and insures the total up to $250,000.

Has anyone ever lost money at an FDIC-insured bank? ›

Since 1933, no depositor has ever lost a penny of FDIC-insured funds. Today, the FDIC insures up to $250,000 per depositor per FDIC-insured bank. An FDIC-insured account is the safest place for consumers to keep their money.

What is the safest bank for millionaires? ›

The Most Popular Banks for Millionaires
  1. JP Morgan Private Bank. “J.P. Morgan Private Bank is known for its investment services, which makes them a great option for those with millionaire status,” Kullberg said. ...
  2. Bank of America Private Bank. ...
  3. Citi Private Bank. ...
  4. Chase Private Client.
Jan 29, 2024

How to safely store deposits if you have more than $250000? ›

How to Protect Large Deposits over $250,000
  1. Open Accounts at Multiple Banks. ...
  2. Open Accounts with Different Owners. ...
  3. Open Accounts with Trust/POD [pay-on-death] Designations. ...
  4. Open a CD Account, or Money Market Account, with a bank that offers IntraFi (formerly CDARs) services.
Mar 17, 2023

Are CDs worth it? ›

If you're looking for a safe way to earn interest on your savings, a certificate of deposit, or CD, is worth considering. CDs tend to offer higher interest rates than savings accounts. And today's best CD rates are far higher than the national averages.

Can you put 100 million in the bank? ›

Demand Deposit Account (DDA) & Money Market Deposit Account (MMDA) DDA/MMDA allows you to place funds into demand deposit and/or money market deposit accounts. You can deposit up to $100 million for each account type.

What bank has the highest FDIC insurance? ›

Wealthfront also offers some of the industry's highest FDIC protection. Other banks and fintechs offering competitive FDIC insurance include Betterment, Bluevine, SoFi and Ameris Bank, and like Wealthfront, they spread your funds among partnering FDIC-insured banks.

What if the FDIC runs out of money? ›

Still, the FDIC itself doesn't have unlimited money. If enough banks flounder at once, it could deplete the fund that backstops deposits. However, experts say even in that event, bank patrons shouldn't worry about losing their FDIC-insured money.

Is the FDIC underfunded? ›

By the end of 2022, the FDIC reported that its Deposit Insurance Fund had a balance of $128 billion—less than half of the $262 billion that might be needed. The FDIC didn't specify how it will pay depositors once the current $128 billion is exhausted and didn't immediately respond to Barron's inquiry about the plans.

How much does FDIC have in reserves? ›

The Deposit Insurance Fund balance was $121.8 billion at the end of 2023, up $4.8 billion since June 30 of that year, the FDIC said today in the first of its semiannual updates on the DIF restoration plan. The DIF reserve ratio increased from 1.11% to 1.15%.

Has FDIC ever paid out? ›

Deposit insurance coverage was initially set at $2,500 in 1933. Today, the FDIC provides $250,000 in coverage per depositor, per account. The FDIC first paid claims to depositors of failed banks in the mid-1980s.

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