Do you ever consider what you would take with you if you had just a few seconds to grab your most prized possessions before fleeing a tornado, a hurricane, or a fire? Imagine the aftermath of escaping such a disaster if you haven’t taken the necessary steps to protect your most important possessions, both in terms of financial worth and sentimental value.

How long do you think it would take you to figure out how to sort out your credit cards, bills, insurance policies, and other important papers that are probably sitting somewhere in your house? You probably figure that if you ever have a question about any of these important documents, the contact information to get your question answered is on the document itself. But what if the document has disappeared in a fire or is under three feet of water as your house floods? What will you do then? Here are some ways you can prevent this scenario from happening to you:

Copy all of your important documents, including passports, birth and marriage certificates, wills, loan documents, and insurance policies. Don’t forget to copy personal papers that hold sentimental importance to you, even if they have no financial value. These documents, which can include photos, recipes, children’s art, love letters, and so much more, can be kept in hard-copy form or on a CD.

Back up your computer frequently. This will prevent data loss not only as the result of a natural disaster, but also resulting from power surges, computer viruses, or theft. Far too many people assume that the information in their computer is protected, but this is far from the case. Back up your computer onto an external hard drive as often as possible.

Finally, make copies of the front and back of your driver’s license and your credit cards, and put together a list of access codes and passwords. This list is very important to safeguard from damage and from thieves; it should always be stored inside a safe, never in a desk drawer or any other unsecured area of the home.

Once you’ve made copies of your most important documents, don’t just keep them in your house. Any natural disaster that destroys the originals is also likely to affect the copies if they are stored nearby. Instead, keep them in a top quality fireproof safe or in a safe deposit box in a nearby bank. If you opt for a bank box, make sure that the box is accessible to at least one person other than yourself, in case you are unable to reach the bank yourself. Many people keep three sets of important documents; the originals in their home, copies in a safe deposit box, and a third set in a home safe.

What can you do about important possessions that can’t be photocopied or duplicated? These items should be stored in a portable box in an easily accessible location. If you leave for long periods of time, such as on vacation, put the box in your home safe. If a disaster strikes while you’re at home, remember to grab the box on your way out. You may also want to make an inventory of possessions that are impossible to take with you, such as expensive electronics, to aid in the insurance claim process if disaster strikes. Keep this list in the safe too; fleeing from a natural disaster is no time to be hunting around the house to assemble your most important possessions.

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Category: Advice
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