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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →FDIC insurance generally protects up to $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category. Accounts owned by the same person in the same category at that bank are combined—so separate account numbers or branches do not create separate limits. The kind of account and who legally owns the money matter.
How the $250,000 limit is applied
The FDIC describes the standard maximum as $250,000 for each depositor, at each insured bank, in each ownership category. The limit is not per account. If one person has several single-owner accounts at the same insured bank, their balances in that category are added together. A bank’s branches count as the same bank when they operate under the same charter; separately chartered insured banks are evaluated separately.
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The calculation includes principal and interest accrued or due through the date the bank fails, subject to the applicable limit. A depositor may have more than $250,000 covered at one bank when funds qualify in separate ownership categories and meet each category’s requirements. Simply giving accounts different labels does not qualify them for separate limits: actual ownership, titling, beneficiaries or participants, and category rules control. The FDIC explains the standard limit in its Understanding Deposit Insurance guidance.
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Ownership categories are not interchangeable labels
Consumer guidance describes categories including single accounts, joint accounts, certain retirement accounts, trust accounts, employee benefit plan accounts, corporation, partnership and unincorporated association accounts, and government accounts. Some technical FDIC materials break categories into subcategories. The coverage calculation depends on the rules for the particular category.
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- Joint accounts: Co-owners must meet FDIC requirements, including equal withdrawal rights and proper documentation.
- Trust accounts: Coverage can depend on the owners and eligible beneficiaries, and is subject to specific rules and caps.
- Business accounts: Coverage is generally based on the separately organized entity, not on the number of its members or signatories.
- Employee benefit and government accounts: These have category-specific conditions that should be checked rather than reduced to a one-size-fits-all formula.
For a complex trust, business, government, or employee-plan arrangement, use FDIC guidance or consult a qualified professional familiar with the account structure.
Which products FDIC insurance covers
FDIC insurance applies to qualifying deposits at an insured depository institution, not to every financial product a bank or financial brand offers. Common covered deposit products include:
- Checking accounts and Negotiable Order of Withdrawal (NOW) accounts
- Savings accounts
- Money market deposit accounts
- Time deposits, including certificates of deposit (CDs)
- Certain official bank items, such as cashier’s checks and money orders
Some prepaid cards may qualify, but only when the program and underlying account meet FDIC requirements. The product name alone does not establish coverage; the bank holding the funds and the way the account is set up matter. See the FDIC’s deposit insurance product guidance for details.
What FDIC deposit insurance does not cover
FDIC deposit insurance does not protect investments or other property simply because a bank sells, holds, or provides access to them. The FDIC identifies these among products not covered by its deposit insurance:
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- Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds
- Cryptocurrency assets
- Life insurance policies and annuities
- Municipal securities
- U.S. Treasury bills, bonds, and notes
- Safe deposit boxes and their contents
Treasury securities have a distinct form of U.S. government backing; that backing is not FDIC deposit insurance. A safe deposit box is not a deposit account, so its contents are not insured by the FDIC.
What happens if an insured bank fails
FDIC insurance protects depositors against loss of insured deposits when an insured bank fails. In resolving a failure, another institution may assume the insured deposits. If that does not happen, the FDIC identifies customers and calculates coverage under the applicable rules. Coverage for a qualifying deposit is automatic; a depositor does not apply for insurance after a failure. The FDIC’s bank-failure guidance explains the resolution process. The precise handling depends on the circumstances of the failure, so there is no single payout timetable to assume for every case.
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How pass-through coverage works with a fintech or other intermediary
Money placed at an insured bank through a broker, fintech, or other third party may receive pass-through treatment. This means the FDIC may assess the deposit as belonging to the actual customer or other beneficial owner, as if that owner held it directly. Pass-through treatment is not an extra ownership category or an automatic guarantee that every customer balance is fully insured.
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The arrangement must meet FDIC requirements, including records that identify each owner and that owner’s interest, as well as requirements for the deposit account and the relationship. If the requirements are not met, funds may instead be combined with the intermediary’s other deposits and insured to the intermediary under the applicable category and limit. Before relying on a provider’s general “FDIC insured” statement, identify the legal bank holding the funds and confirm how customer ownership and records are handled. The FDIC sets out the conditions in its pass-through coverage guidance.
How to estimate your own coverage
The FDIC’s free Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator (EDIE) can help estimate coverage for a specific arrangement. Gather the information below before using it:
- The legal name of the insured bank holding the funds
- Each account balance, including applicable accrued interest
- The account owner or owners and the account’s title
- Any beneficiaries or plan participants relevant to the ownership category
- How each account is categorized, and whether a third party holds it for you
Then add together accounts belonging to the same depositor in the same ownership category at that bank. For money held through an intermediary, confirm which insured bank holds the deposit and whether the program’s records support pass-through treatment. EDIE is an estimate tool; complicated ownership structures still require attention to the applicable category rules.
How to verify that a bank is FDIC-insured
A financial brand or app may not be the bank that legally holds a deposit. Verify the underlying institution rather than relying only on a brand name or a general insurance claim. FDIC guidance says an official digital FDIC sign is to appear on bank websites, bank applications, and certain ATMs beginning March 1, 2026. Treat the sign as one clue, alongside checking the legal identity of the bank and how the funds are held. The FDIC’s BankFind Suite can be used to look up institutions.
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