As bank failures mount, FDIC may need to take out a loan

What happens if the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. runs out of money? Most everyone with a bank account knows the FDIC guarantees deposits up to $250,000 against loss. But with bank failures surging -- there have already been 92 this year -- the agency's insurance fund is running out of cash.

That may sound like something to worry about, but most bank customers probably shouldn't fret. FDIC boss Sheila Bair says her agency may tap a credit line with the Treasury worth up to $500 billion that Congress approved earlier this year to help cover the costs of closing down failed banks.