You have probably heard about FDIC insurance, whether or not you use financial services frequently. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which was founded in 1933, is in charge of managing FDIC insurance, which guards deposits made in member banks’ checking, savings, and certificate of deposit accounts. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) protects depositors’ money by paying out up to $250,000 per account in the case of a member bank collapse.

But there are other players in the field of deposit insurance besides the FDIC. Let us introduce you to the Depositors Insurance Fund (DIF), a little-known but powerful insurance program designed to protect money placed with savings banks regulated by the state of Massachusetts.

The Depositors Insurance Fund’s (DIF) origins and history

The Massachusetts financial scene is deeply ingrained in the DIF’s history. In contrast to the FDIC’s usage of the Deposit Insurance Fund, the DIF is a regional program that provides additional security for deposits made in savings banks chartered in Massachusetts.

Gratitude Banks of Savings
The main recipients of DIF money are savings banks, which are experts at taking savings deposits and using them for a range of credit products, including personal loans, business credit, and mortgages. Since many smaller community banks are set up like savings banks, they must be members of the DIF. As a result, your deposits are immediately protected by DIF insurance if your bank is a savings bank with headquarters in Massachusetts.

Deposit Protection Fund Bank: Keeping Deposits Safe

Any Massachusetts-chartered savings bank is considered a Depositors Insurance Fund bank. When the $250,000 maximum per account that the FDIC insurance provides for deposits in savings banks with Massachusetts charters is exceeded, DIF intervenes to safeguard the remaining funds.

Depositors at banks with a Massachusetts charter benefit from strong insurance protections that combine the powers of the FDIC and DIF. Notably, DIF proven more than adequate to cover depositor losses throughout major economic downturns such as the financial crisis of the late 2000s and the savings and loan crisis of the late 1980s/early 1990s. No depositor has ever lost a dime in a bank that is both FDIC and DIF insured, according to DIF.

Maximum Insurance Fund Coverage Amount for Depositors Bank

One special benefit offered by DIF is that there is no maximum insured amount per account. Theoretically, depositors’ money is completely protected. Practical factors do, however, come into play because the majority of banks have maximum deposit caps, which normally range from $1 million to $10 million per account. As a result, although the theoretical coverage is unlimited, specific bank policies establish the real upper limit.

To sum up, DIF is evidence of the dedication to preserving depositors’ financial interests in savings banks with Massachusetts charters, providing an additional degree of security to the well-known FDIC insurance.

The Massachusetts Depositors Insurance Fund’s (DIF) History and Operation

In 1932, there were multiple bank failures in Massachusetts. In response, the state government took decisive action and established the Mutual Savings Central Fund (MSCF), which later became the blueprint for the Massachusetts Depositors Insurance Fund (DIF). Simultaneously, another piece of legislation created the Co-operative Central Bank, which provided deposit protection to credit unions and cooperative banks having their main office located in Massachusetts.

When MSCF was first founded, its goal was to become the first state-approved deposit insurance fund in the United States, offering complete deposit protection to depositors affected by member bank failures, whether they were individuals or corporations. Changes came to MSCF with the establishment of the FDIC, which first repaid deposits up to $5,000. With time, MSCF’s charter was broadened to cover more ground than that of the FDIC, and the business adopted the name DIF.

Crucial Elements of the Protection of DIF Insurance

1. Address and Line of Work
DIF insurance only covers deposits placed with savings banks that are chartered under Massachusetts law. DIF does not discriminate on the basis of residency and is available to citizens of any state; however, in order to apply, your savings bank must be chartered in Massachusetts. For internet banks with headquarters in Massachusetts that attract customers from other states, this flexibility becomes quite crucial.

2. No Additional Cost
DIF insurance is free for depositors. This is a free benefit that all account holders can take advantage of; there are no fees or surcharges to join the program.

3. There are no application requirements
Similar to FDIC insurance, DIF coverage is immediately provided to all new depositors the moment they open an account with a member bank. No additional information or special application is required beyond what is required for standard account opening procedures.

4. Investment Items Excluded
DIF insurance is restricted to deposit accounts, such as money market, savings, certificate of deposit, and checking accounts, just as its FDIC equivalent. Annuities, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other investment commodities are not covered.

DIF Membership, Funding, Assets, and Oversight

The creation, dissolution, or alteration of banks and their charters affects the dynamic composition of member banks in DIF. The Depositors Insurance Fund will have provided coverage for a number of banks by 2023, including

• Abington Bank
• Lee Bank
• Adams Community Bank
• The Lowell Five Cent Savings Bank
• Athol Savings Bank
• MountainOne Bank
• Avidia Bank
• Monson Savings Bank
• BankProv
• Marblehead Bank
• Bank of Canton
• MutualOne Bank
• Bank of Easton
• Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank
• BankFive
• Methuen Co-operative Bank
• BankGloucester
• Main Street Bank
• BayCoast Bank
• Mechanics Cooperative Bank
• Bay State Savings Bank
• Needham Bank
• Bluestone Bank
• North Cambridge Co-operative Bank
• Canton Co-operative Bank
• Newburyport Bank
• Commonwealth Cooperative Bank
• North Brookfield Savings Bank
• Charles River Bank
• North Easton Savings Bank
• The Cooperative Bank
• North Shore Bank
• Country Bank
• OneLocal Bank
• Cornerstone Bank
• Pentucket Bank
• Cape Ann Savings Bank
• PeoplesBank
• The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod
• Pittsfield Bank & Trust
• Coastal Heritage Bank
• Rollstone Bank & Trust
• Clinton Savings Bank
• Reading Co-operative Bank
• Dean Bank
• Savers Bank
• Dedham Institution for Savings
• Seamen’s Bank
• East Cambridge Savings Bank
• South Shore Bank
• East Boston Savings Bank
• Stoneham Bank
• Eagle Bank
• Stoughton Co-operative Bank
• Easthampton Savings Bank
• UniBank
• Florence Bank
• The Village Bank
• Fidelity Bank
• Washington Savings Bank
• Greenfield Savings Bank
• Watertown Savings Bank
• Greenfield Cooperative Bank
• Webster Five
• Haverhill Bank
• Winchester Savings Bank
• Hometown Bank
• Wrentham Cooperative Bank
• Hampden Bank
• Walpole Co-operative Bank
• Institution for Savings
• Wakefield Co-operative Bank

The DIF is proof of Massachusetts’ dedication to safeguarding depositors and maintaining the stability of its banking system as the financial landscape changes.
The Massachusetts Depositors Insurance Fund’s (DIF) funding sources, investments, and supervision

DIF Investments & Funding Mechanisms:

Despite being established by legislation, the Massachusetts Depositors Insurance Fund (DIF) is a private entity that is supported by the money of its member banks. Annual assessments, or payments, to the DIF general fund, are required of member banks. The evaluations are computed using the total amount of deposits made by their clients.

After collecting $4.74 million in assessments in the fiscal year 2021, DIF collected $5.43 million in assessments in the fiscal year 2022. Although the evaluations of individual member institutions are kept private, the money raised strengthens the DIF.

DIF places a strong emphasis on the security of government-backed instruments by wisely allocating these evaluated funds across three primary categories of assets. The investment portfolio consists of U.S. government-sponsored enterprises (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) debt obligations, long-term and short-term U.S. Treasury bonds, and privately issued mortgage- and asset-backed securities. This plan guarantees that the majority of DIF’s assets are in federally guaranteed commitments.

The net income of the fund varies from year to year due to changes in the value and returns of these securities as well as variable expenses. In 2022 and 2021, the DIF’s total available deposit insurance fund was $486.83 million and $508.43 million, respectively. By contrast, DIF’s insured excess deposits in 2022 and 2021 totaled $28.57 billion and $27.14 billion, respectively, and represented sums over the FDIC limit. In 2022, DIF paid for 1.70% of depositors’ extra funds, while in 2021, it paid for 1.87%.

Massachusetts DIF Supervision & Member Oversight: The Massachusetts Division of Banks, a state regulatory body, is in charge of overseeing DIF operations. DIF is subject to independent audits carried out by outside auditors in order to guarantee accountability and transparency.
The president and executive team oversee daily operations; they are answerable to a 13-member board made up of executives from banks that are DIF members and other major employers in Massachusetts on a quarterly basis.

DIF requires each bank to provide quarterly financial statements, even though it lacks the capacity to independently review the financial records of its member institutions. DIF works with regulatory agencies such as the Federal Reserve, the Massachusetts Division of Banks, and the FDIC, which are legally able to audit banks in Massachusetts. DIF uses these agencies’ findings to evaluate the financial standing of its member institutions.

Bank Failure and Transition: DIF notes an estimated obligation on its balance sheet in the unfortunate event that a member bank fails. As mandated by law, DIF intervenes in the event that a member bank fails, paying depositors back for any money lost over the FDIC insurance cap.
In the event that a bank that is a member of the DIF files for bankruptcy or is recapitalized, the bank’s participation usually ends. A DIF member, even if solvent, forfeits its membership when a non-DIF member bank, especially one with a headquarters outside of Massachusetts, purchases its assets and then renounces its Massachusetts charter.

In summary:
Beyond its borders, Massachusetts has demonstrated its dedication to protecting depositors, as demonstrated by the DIF. Due to the nation’s constantly moving population and widespread use of internet banking, the DIF has an impact on people all over the place. The heritage of DIF and FDIC insurance remains a vital component of financial security, originating from the groundbreaking consumer protection laws of the 1930s, regardless of whether one is thinking about moving, investigating internet banking options, or pushing for increased deposit protections.