Protect documents before DISASTER STRIKES
There’s no worse time to lose access to the documents you’ll need to rebuild your life than in the aftermath of a natural disaster. To prevent a document disaster on top of the natural one, you’ll need to secure important papers.
Documents that are hard to replace typically are those used for identification, such as Social Security cards, birth certificates, driver’s licenses, passports, marriage licenses and divorce decrees. Securing those is crucial because you may need some of them to access your bank accounts and insurance policies.
In the event of a storm warning or evacuation notice, you will more than likely have time to grab your wallet, which probably has your driver’s license in it.
The rest of the documents should be securely stored, such as in a fireproof home safe or in a safe deposit box at your bank or credit union. Call to make sure your bank or credit union has safe deposit boxes available, because some have decided to eliminate them altogether.
Keep the key to the safe deposit box somewhere safe and accessible. Before allowing you to open the box, the bank will want proof that you’re the owner or that you’ve been granted access by the owner. (This is when your driver’s license will come in handy.)
Banks don’t keep spare keys on hand for safe deposit boxes, so if you lose your keys, a locksmith will more than likely be called in to drill into your box at your expense.
But what if your bank — and your safe deposit box — could also be damaged by a flood or a wildfire? If your area is prone to floods, store your documents in sealable plastic bags to help protect them from water damage. If you’re worried about fire, ask the bank how boxes are protected. Safe deposit boxes are usually fire resistant but not fully fireproof.
One alternative is to buy a fireproof home safe to store your documents. For extra protection, scan and upload copies of each family member’s Social Security card and birth certificate to a cloud storage service, such as Google Drive, Apple iCloud, Dropbox or LastPass.
If the originals get damaged, you may be able to use the scanned items to prove your identity and request new copies.
For details on how to replace a Social Security card, go to https://ssa.gov/ssnumber. If you lose a birth certificate, you will need to contact your state of birth’s vital records office and put in a request for a replacement. Go to www.cdc.gov/ nchs/w2w/index.htm to find out which office you should contact and how much a replacement will cost. You will also need to submit a photocopy of your driver’s license or passport.
Because digitally stored documents are less likely to be lost or destroyed than paper copies stuffed in a file cabinet, consider cloud storage for all other important documents — past income tax returns, wills, powers of attorney, stock trade confirmations and lists of passwords, for example.