How to Check If Your Bank Is FDIC-Insured in 3 Steps
Use the FDIC's BankFind tool to check whether your bank is FDIC-insured, then see how the $250,000 limit and EDIE apply to your deposits.
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If you keep money in a bank, one question matters more than most: is that bank FDIC-insured? The FDIC, an independent agency of the United States government, protects depositors against the loss of insured deposits if an FDIC-insured bank fails. The fastest way to confirm coverage is the FDIC's BankFind tool, and this guide shows how to use it in three steps.
Summary
FDIC deposit insurance is automatic for any deposit account opened at an FDIC-insured bank. You do not need to apply for it or buy it. The standard insurance amount is $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category.
BankFind lets you look up any FDIC-insured institution and see branch locations, the bank's official website, its current operating status, and the regulator to contact for more help. If you want to estimate coverage for your own accounts, the FDIC's Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator, called EDIE, can help.
3 Ways to Confirm FDIC Insurance
| Method | What you check | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| BankFind tool | Bank name or location | Insured status and details |
| FDIC sign at the bank | Sign displayed in branch | Bank claims insured status |
| Ask a bank representative | Direct question | Confirmation from the bank |
| EDIE estimator | Your account details | Your coverage estimate |
BankFind is the FDIC's own tool for this check, and the FDIC FAQ lists it alongside the FDIC sign and a question to a bank representative. The other methods work as cross-checks when you want a second confirmation.
1. Open BankFind and search for your bank
Go to the FDIC's BankFind tool at banks.data.fdic.gov. Search by your bank's name, or use location details to narrow the results. Bank names can look similar, so check the result carefully against the name on your statements or your bank's website.
BankFind provides detailed information about FDIC-insured institutions. The listing shows branch locations, the bank's official website, the current operating status of the bank, and the regulator to contact for additional information and assistance. To determine if a bank is FDIC-insured, the FDIC FAQ names three options: ask a bank representative, look for the FDIC sign at your bank, or use the BankFind tool.
If you cannot find your bank, check your account agreement or statement for the institution's legal name, then search again.
2. Read the listing and confirm the details
Once you find your bank, review the details in its listing. Confirm that the operating status is current and that the official website matches the site you normally use. This step helps you catch lookalike names and confirms you are looking at the right institution.
Also note the regulator listed for the bank. That regulator is the contact point if you need additional information or assistance about the institution. Keeping this detail on hand is useful if questions about your bank come up later.
If the listing raises questions, you can submit a request through the FDIC Information and Support Center or call 1-877-ASK-FDIC (1-877-275-3342). An FDIC deposit insurance specialist can help you calculate your coverage.
3. Check whether your deposits fit within coverage
Once you have found your bank in BankFind, the next step is checking whether your own deposits fit within the coverage limits. The standard amount is $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category.
Ownership category means the manner in which you hold your funds. Examples include single accounts, joint accounts, certain retirement accounts, trust accounts, and business accounts. Deposits held in different ownership categories are separately insured, up to at least $250,000, even at the same bank.
Covered deposit products include checking accounts, savings accounts, money market deposit accounts, and certificates of deposit. Investment products are not deposits, so mutual funds, annuities, life insurance policies, stocks, and bonds are not covered by FDIC deposit insurance, even when purchased through a bank.
To estimate your own coverage, use EDIE at edie.fdic.gov and enter information about your accounts. EDIE calculates coverage for personal accounts, business accounts, and government accounts, and it can print a report for your records. Note that EDIE results apply only if the accounts entered are deposits at an FDIC-insured bank.
How we chose
This guide follows the FDIC's own deposit insurance FAQ for every fact about coverage and BankFind. The three steps mirror the FAQ's answer to how a person finds out whether a bank is FDIC-insured: ask a representative, look for the FDIC sign, or use BankFind. BankFind leads the guide because it is the FDIC's own lookup tool.
Choosing order
- Search for your bank in BankFind and confirm its insured status and operating details.
- Cross-check with the FDIC sign at a branch or a question to a bank representative if you want a second confirmation.
- Use EDIE to estimate whether your deposits fit within the coverage limits for your ownership categories.
Before you finish
- Confirm your bank appears in BankFind with a current operating status.
- Confirm the official website in the listing matches the site you use.
- Check whether your deposits sit in one ownership category or several.
- Consider whether any of your products are investments rather than deposits.
- Save the regulator contact from the listing in case you need it later.
This article is for general information, not financial advice.