FDIC Insurance

What Is the FDIC?

The FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) is an independent agency of the United States government that protects you against the loss of your deposits if an FDIC-insured bank or savings association fails. FDIC insurance is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.

New Deposit Insurance Limits

On July 21, 2010, the deposit insurance coverage for all deposit accounts was permanently raised to $250,000 per depositor, per insured depository institution for each account ownership category. Insurance coverage for certain retirement accounts, which include all IRA deposit accounts, was increased permanently to $250,000 per depositor in 2006.

Notice of Changes in Temporary FDIC Coverage for Transaction Accounts

All funds in a "noninterest-bearing transaction account" are insured in full by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation from December 31, 2010, through December 31, 2012. This temporary unlimited coverage is in addition to, and separate from, the coverage of at least $250,000 available to depositors under the FDIC's general deposit insurance rules. (Please note that this temporary insurance is set to expire on December 31, 2012.)

The term "noninterest-bearing transaction account" includes a traditional checking account or demand deposit account on which the insured depository institution pays no interest. It also includes Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts ("IOLTAs"). It does not include other accounts, such as traditional checking or demand deposit accounts that may earn interest, NOW accounts, and money-market deposit accounts.