Are your important legal documents and photographs safe from thieves, water and fire? If you had only a few minutes to retrieve valuables from your home, would you be able to find them quickly and take them with you?The most reliable way to protect your vital documents at home is to keep them in a fireproof and waterproof safe. Here's a list of items that you might consider protecting: wills and trusts, deeds, titles, and other legal and financial documents, passports, birth certificates, diplomas, copies of marriage and vehicle licenses, a list of account numbers and credit card numbers, an inventory list of valuable household items, extra sets of keys, family photos, irreplaceable keepsakes, and cash.
The next best choice is a fireproof and waterproof portable case, one that you could grab easily in an emergency. Storing important papers in one place makes sense, and will add to your peace of mind in an unforseeable evacuation situation. You won't be running all over the house retrieving photo negatives and vital documents. They'll be safely stored in a totable case that you've placed in a predetermined location, one that all household members are aware of.
Many people play it doubly safe. They place original documents in a heavy duty fireproof/waterproof safe and store additional certified copies in a safety deposit box or with a trusted friend or family member. The important thing is to be organized and in complete control of your vital records at all times. No one is exempt from the possibility of a natural disaster, or worse yet, a thief.
