Debate Closes on Doubling Savings Protection to 100,000 Euros
Public debate on the draft deposit insurance law closes on May 31, raising insured savings from 50,000 to 100,000 euros, but only after Serbia joins the EU.
- Public debate on the draft deposit insurance law closes on May 31.
- The insured amount rises from 50,000 to 100,000 euros per depositor and bank.
- The higher protection will apply only after Serbia joins the EU.
- The Deposit Insurance Agency will run bank stress tests at least once every three years.
Public debate on the draft deposit insurance law ran from May 8 to May 31, with the Ministry of Finance as its proponent. The document raises the maximum insured savings amount from 50,000 to 100,000 euros per depositor and bank, moving the domestic framework closer to the European Union standard.
The higher amount, however, will not take effect once the law is adopted. The draft ties the larger ceiling directly to EU membership, so until that point savers will continue to rely on the existing protection of 50,000 euros per bank.
What exactly do savers gain?
The doubled ceiling is not the only change. The draft also introduces additional protection for temporarily high balances that arise after one-off life events. These are funds that appear on an account following the sale of property, an inheritance, a divorce or a severance payment, and the enhanced cover applies for six months from the deposit.
The draft also sets payout deadlines. The Deposit Insurance Agency will be required to make insured funds available to depositors no later than seven working days after an insured event occurs.
- Base ceiling: 100,000 euros per depositor and bank
- Temporarily high balances: additional cover for six months
- Payout deadline: no later than seven working days
The additional protection will apply only after Serbia joins the European Union.
Why is the higher ceiling tied to the EU?
Linking the increased amount to EU accession follows the logic of aligning with the bloc’s legal framework, where 100,000 euros is the standard in deposit insurance systems. Until that condition is met, raising the ceiling remains a deferred obligation rather than an immediate guarantee.
To anchor the protection in a stable system, the draft also introduces regular checks of bank resilience. The Deposit Insurance Agency will run bank stress tests at least once every three years, assessing the sector’s capacity to withstand pressure in crisis conditions.
After the public debate closes, the Ministry of Finance will review the submitted proposals before sending the final text into parliamentary procedure. How much will the higher ceiling matter to you when you save at a bank?
