Updated April 2026
FDIC Insurance Limits 2026 — How Your Deposits Are Protected
The FDIC insures your bank deposits up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, per ownership category. This coverage is automatic at all 3,960 FDIC-insured banks — no application or enrollment required. Since the FDIC was created in 1933, no depositor has ever lost a penny of insured funds.
Current FDIC Coverage Limits (2026)
| Ownership Category | Coverage Per Depositor | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Single accounts | $250,000 | Individual checking or savings |
| Joint accounts | $250,000 per co-owner | Joint checking = $500K for a couple |
| Retirement accounts (IRAs) | $250,000 | Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA |
| Revocable trust accounts | $250,000 per beneficiary | POD/ITF accounts, living trusts |
| Business accounts | $250,000 | Corporations, LLCs, partnerships |
How to Verify Your Bank Is FDIC-Insured
Almost all US banks are FDIC members. To verify, use the FDIC BankFind tool or look for the FDIC sign at your bank. You can also search for your bank on BankHealth — every bank we list includes its FDIC certificate number.
How to Maximize Your FDIC Coverage
If you have more than $250,000 in deposits, you can increase your coverage in two ways:
- Use different ownership categories at the same bank — an individual account ($250K) plus a joint account ($500K for a couple) plus a retirement IRA ($250K) gives one person up to $750K at a single bank.
- Spread deposits across multiple banks — each FDIC-insured bank provides separate $250K coverage. Use the FDIC EDIE calculator to estimate your total coverage.
What Happens When a Bank Fails
The FDIC has handled thousands of bank failures since 1933, and the process is well-established:
- Friday evening: Regulators close the bank, typically after the close of business on a Friday.
- Over the weekend: The FDIC either finds another bank to acquire the failed bank's deposits and assets, or prepares direct payments to depositors.
- Monday morning: Depositors can usually access their insured funds — either at the acquiring bank or via FDIC payment. Most people experience minimal disruption.
See our complete list of bank failures for the full historical record.
FDIC Insurance vs. Bank Health
FDIC insurance and bank financial health are two separate protections. FDIC insurance guarantees you won't lose insured deposits regardless of your bank's condition. Bank financial health (measured by our Bank Health Score) indicates how likely a bank is to remain stable without regulatory intervention.
Even banks with low Health Scores are fully FDIC-insured. However, if a bank fails, there may be temporary inconvenience (a few days without access to funds) and uninsured deposits above $250,000 may not be fully recovered.
We recommend checking your bank's Health Score as part of an overall financial health checkup, especially if your deposits exceed $250,000 at any single bank. Search for your bank to see its current score.
Frequently Asked Questions
The standard FDIC insurance limit is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category. This limit has been in effect since 2008 and applies to checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit (CDs). The limit covers principal and accrued interest up to $250,000.
The FDIC insures deposits at 3,960 member banks. Virtually all banks operating in the US are FDIC-insured. You can verify any bank's FDIC status through the FDIC BankFind tool or by looking for the FDIC sign displayed at bank branches. Credit unions are insured separately by the NCUA, not the FDIC.
Yes. The $250,000 limit applies per ownership category. A single person with an individual account, a joint account, and a retirement account at the same bank could have up to $750,000 in coverage. Ownership categories include: single accounts, joint accounts, certain retirement accounts (IRAs), revocable trust accounts, and irrevocable trust accounts.
The FDIC typically makes insured deposits available within 1-2 business days of a bank failure. In most cases, another bank acquires the failed bank and depositors can access their accounts normally. If no acquirer is found, the FDIC issues checks to insured depositors directly.
FDIC insurance does not cover: stocks, bonds, mutual funds, life insurance policies, annuities, municipal securities, safe deposit box contents, or US Treasury bills/bonds/notes (which are backed by the federal government separately). Crypto assets held at banks are also not FDIC-insured.
No. The FDIC Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) is funded entirely by premiums paid by member banks and interest on US government securities. No taxpayer dollars fund FDIC insurance. As of 2024, the DIF held approximately $129 billion.