Protecting Your Important Documents

One of the most important things to secure during a hurricane—and the most overlooked—are your important documents.

Here are few things to remember:

• The best way to protect your documents is to store the originals in a safe-deposit box at a bank.

• Choose a bank that is some distance from your home to lessen the chance of your home and the bank suffering the same disaster.

• Be sure to get a listing of all of your bank’s branch locations, addresses and phone numbers.

• Prepare photocopies of all the documents in the safe-deposit box and place them in an evacuation box (preferably a fire-proof box).

• Store your evacuation box in your home someplace that you can get to easily. Take it with you when you evacuate.

• Go through your safe deposit and evacuation boxes once or twice a year to keep them up-to-date.

• Have written instructions concerning health and financial decisions for your family to follow in the event you become incapacitated.

• If you own a home, consider opening a home equity loan prior to a storm hitting. This will make emergency funds from this account available after the storm.

Documents to place in the safe-deposit box or evacuation box:

• Insurance policies (life, auto, homeowners, renters, etc.)

• Copies of health insurance information (insurance card, doctor’s name and number, prescriptions, allergies and immunizations.)

• Photocopy of driver’s license

• Birth, Death and Marriage certifi cates

• Social Security card

• Passport

• Will and living will

• Mortgage/property deeds

• Adoption papers

• Military records

• Car titles

• Trust documents

• Tax return(s)

• Written instructions for family members

• List of emergency contacts, (family, friends, lawyer, financial advisors, etc.)

• Personal property inventory (item description, serial #, receipt and photograph or video)

For evacuation box only:

• Safe-deposit box information (location, contents and key)

• Cash, a few rolls of quarters and traveler’s checks

Other documents to consider:

• Home improvement records /receipts

• Warranties and receipts for major purchases

• Appraisals of jewelry, collectibles, artwork,

etc.

• Credit card records

• Retirement account records

• Recent checking, savings and investment account statements

• Rental agreement and/or lease

• A recent pay stub and employee benefi ts information

• Backup disks of critical computerized information

• Negatives of irreplaceable personal photographs (use protective plastic sleeves)