The worsening U.S. economy prompted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Friday to double its projected U.S. bank failure costs to more than $80 billion over a five-year period ending in 2013.

The 25 U.S. bank failures in 2008 cost the agency $18 billion, the FDIC said. Another $65 billion in bank failure costs is expected from 2009 to 2013, it said.

On Thursday, the FDIC announced that the number of problem U.S. banks jumped by nearly 50 percent to 252 in the fourth quarter of 2008.

FDIC staff recommended the agency assess U.S. banks a special one-time fee to raise as much as $15 billion to restore the fund being depleted by bank failures. The assessment of 20 basis points, which equates to $200,000 per $100 million in domestic deposits, in the third quarter would represent the first such move since 1996, when regulators took a similar action in the aftermath of the savings and loans crisis.

The FDIC staff also recommended giving the agency the ability to charge another assessment of 10 basis points each quarter in case of unexpected emergencies.

If the FDIC board approves the proposals, the agency would collect about $27 billion in assessment revenue from banks in 2009, up sharply from $3 billion in 2008.

The FDIC’s insurance fund has dwindled with the quickening pace of bank failures in recent months.

In 2008, 25 banks failed, compared with three in all of 2007. Based on its current pace, the agency is on track to seize more than 100 banks in 2009.

The FDIC has set aside $22 billion for expected payouts by the FDIC insurance fund for bank failures in 2009. (Reuters)