Glossary
FDIC insurance
FDIC insurance is US government coverage that repays your bank deposits, up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category, if the bank fails.
Updated September 15, 2026
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is a US government agency, created in 1933, that insures deposits at the banks it covers. If an insured bank fails, the FDIC repays depositors up to the limit.
As of 2026, the standard limit is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. Money above that limit is not insured. Ownership category means how the account is held: an account in your name alone is a different category from a joint account, so both are insured separately. If you hold $10,000 in checking and $30,000 in savings in your own name at an insured bank, all $40,000 is covered.
Coverage applies to deposits: checking accounts, savings accounts and certificates of deposit. Investments bought through a bank, including stocks, bonds and mutual funds, are not FDIC insured and can lose value.
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How this definition was made
- Written by an AI model (Claude) following Teloria's editorial standard.
- Every factual claim was checked by a separate AI fact-check against official US government and regulator sources.
Official sources consulted
- fdic.gov · /resources/deposit-insurance/brochures/deposits-at-a-glance
- fdic.gov · /about/what-we-do
- fdic.gov · /90years
- fdic.gov · /resources/deposit-insurance/understanding-deposit-insurance
- fdic.gov · /bank-failures/when-bank-fails-facts-depositors-creditors-and-borrowers
- fdic.gov · /financial-institution-employees-guide-deposit-insurance/deposit-insurance-basics
- fdic.gov · /resources/deposit-insurance/faq
- fdic.gov · /resources/deposit-insurance/brochures/insured-deposits
- fdic.gov · /resources/deposit-insurance/financial-products-not-insured