I know that offshore banks claim to have insurance for your deposits, but would I really be able to get my money back should something happen? You only have to look at the payment processors that have shut down with US citizens money (not to mention they are located and/or have offices in the USA) and see that it is a pain to get your money back if you can get it back at all.

So how safe is your offshore money?

Depending on the bank, very safe! :-D

you should always enumuate the age of any banking institution and their overall cash holdings and references..

It's as safe as in your local banks. Anyway you don't have to choose bank without office or some money - laundering bank.
You just choose a bank working from atleast 10 years and with assets more than 1 billion and you will be ok.

depend on bank, even safer the in US

Put money in some big bank only like HSBC,CITIBANK,ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND,ROYAL BANK OF CANADA,UBS etc.There is no risk at all.They are such huge elephants nothing can happen to the.If these banks are trouble than whole world economy will collapse