Answer: No. Deposit insurance is different from conventional insurance in several respects. Some of the differences include the following:

a. Deposit insurance is a regulatory tool aimed at ensuring the safety, soundness and stability of a nation’s financial system, thereby protecting the macro-economy at large. On the other hand, conventional insurance policy is designed only to protect the micro-interest of the policyholder.

b. Deposit insurance is usually a tripartite arrangement involving the deposit insurer, the participating institutions and the depositors, whereas conventional insurance is a bilateral agreement between the insurance company and the insured (policy-holder).

c. Under deposit insurance, the participating institution pays the premium while the direct beneficiary of the protection offered is the depositor who does not pay any premium. In the case of conventional insurance, the beneficiary, who is the insured, pays the premium.

d. Best practice dictates that participation in deposit insurance should be compulsory, participation in conventional insurance contract is generally voluntary.

e. Under deposit insurance, best practice prescribes that the amount of coverage should be limited, whereas in the case of conventional insurance, coverage may be full.