Limits, Fees and 2026 Account Rules
Is my RRSP or TFSA protected? CIPF and CDIC coverage for registered accounts explained
How CDIC insures deposits in RRSPs, TFSAs, FHSAs and RRIFs up to $100,000 per category, what CIPF covers at investment dealers, and the gaps neither scheme fills.
Two different schemes protect registered accounts in Canada, and which one applies depends on what is inside the account and who holds it. CDIC insures eligible deposits (savings, chequing, GICs and other term deposits) at member banks and other federal institutions up to $100,000 per category, and RRSPs, RRIFs, TFSAs, FHSAs, RESPs and RDSPs are each a separate category. CIPF protects securities and cash held for you by a member investment dealer if the dealer becomes insolvent, up to $1 million for all general accounts combined (including TFSAs and FHSAs), plus $1 million for all registered retirement accounts combined (RRSPs, RRIFs, LIFs), plus $1 million for RESPs. Neither covers market losses.
This guide is part of the 2026 account rules overview. Coverage details are set by each organization's rules and can change; confirm on cdic.ca and cipf.ca. General information only.
CDIC: deposits in registered accounts
| CDIC category | Coverage per member institution |
|---|---|
| Deposits in one name | $100,000 |
| Joint deposits | $100,000 |
| RRSP | $100,000 |
| RRIF | $100,000 |
| TFSA | $100,000 |
| FHSA | $100,000 |
| RESP | $100,000 |
| RDSP | $100,000 |
| Trust deposits | $100,000 (with special rules) |
Coverage includes principal and interest, Canadian and foreign-currency deposits, and GICs and term deposits regardless of term. Mutual funds, stocks, bonds, ETFs and crypto assets are not covered, even when bought through a bank.
Worked example
An illustrative saver has, at one CDIC member bank, $80,000 in a savings account in their own name, a $95,000 GIC in their RRSP and $60,000 in a TFSA savings deposit. Each is in a different category, so all $235,000 is covered. If they added a second $30,000 GIC to the same RRSP at the same bank, the RRSP category would total $125,000 and $25,000 would be uninsured. Opening the second GIC at a different CDIC member, or in a different category, keeps it covered.
Note that some bank-owned brands operate under the same member institution, so check CDIC's member list rather than assuming each brand counts separately.
CIPF: investments held at a dealer
CIPF covers clients of member firms of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). If the firm becomes insolvent and client property is missing, CIPF returns property within these limits:
| CIPF category | Examples | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| General accounts | Cash accounts, margin accounts, TFSAs, FHSAs | $1 million combined |
| Registered retirement accounts | RRSPs, RRIFs, LIRAs, LIFs | $1 million combined |
| Registered education savings plans | RESPs where you are the subscriber | $1 million combined |
CIPF does not cover a drop in the value of your investments, unsuitable investments or poor advice, the failure of the company that issued a security, securities registered in your own name, mutual funds held directly with the fund company (rather than through the dealer), or crypto assets missing at insolvency. Insolvencies of investment dealers are rare, and client assets are required to be segregated, but the coverage matters as a backstop.
Which scheme applies to which account
| What you hold | Protection that may apply |
|---|---|
| GIC or savings deposit in an RRSP at a bank | CDIC, RRSP category |
| ETFs in a TFSA at a bank-owned online brokerage | CIPF, general accounts category (the brokerage is a CIRO member; CDIC does not cover the ETFs) |
| GIC bought through a brokerage in an RRSP | Generally CDIC through the issuing bank, if the GIC is CDIC-eligible; check |
| Mutual funds in a TFSA held through a dealer | CIPF if the dealer is a CIRO member and the funds are held by the dealer |
| Mutual funds held directly with the fund company | Not CIPF; the assets are held in trust by the fund's custodian |
| Segregated funds or annuities from an insurer | Assuris, the insurance industry's policyholder protection body, within its limits |
| Credit union deposits | Provincial deposit insurer, with limits that vary by province |
| Desjardins caisse deposits in Quebec | Quebec's deposit insurance administered by the Autorité des marchés financiers |
How to check your coverage
- Identify the legal entity holding your account. The brand name may differ from the member name.
- Look it up: the CDIC member list on cdic.ca, or CIPF's member list on cipf.ca (members display the CIPF logo).
- Identify what you hold: deposits or securities.
- Add up per category at each member: for CDIC, $100,000 per category per member; for CIPF, the combined limits above.
- For provincial credit unions, check your province's deposit insurer, since limits and covered categories differ.
Spreading savings across institutions
People with more than $100,000 in deposits inside one registered plan sometimes spread GICs across several CDIC members. That keeps coverage simple, but it means more accounts to track for room purposes (a TFSA or RRSP at each), more statements and more beneficiary forms. Use direct transfers when consolidating later; see transfers between institutions.
Quebec notes
In Quebec, deposit institutions that are not federally regulated, including Desjardins caisses, are covered by deposit insurance administered by the Autorité des marchés financiers rather than CDIC. Investment dealers in Quebec are CIRO members and CIPF coverage applies in the same way.
Frequently asked questions
Is my TFSA covered separately from my savings account by CDIC?
Yes, if both are eligible deposits at the same CDIC member: TFSA deposits are a separate $100,000 category.
Does CIPF cover my RRSP and TFSA separately?
Yes. TFSAs fall in the general accounts category, RRSPs in the registered retirement category, each with its own $1 million combined limit.
Are ETFs bought at my bank covered by CDIC?
No. ETFs are not deposits. If held at a CIRO member dealer, CIPF may apply if the dealer fails.
Does any scheme protect me against fraud by my adviser?
Not CDIC or CIPF in general. Complaints and, in Quebec, the Fonds d'indemnisation des services financiers may be relevant; see complaints.
Official sources
- Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation — categories, eligible deposits and member list
- Canadian Investor Protection Fund — coverage limits, exclusions and members
- Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization — checking that a dealer is a member
- Autorité des marchés financiers — Quebec deposit insurance and compensation fund
- Assuris — protection for insurance policyholders
