No one expects to be the victim
of a disaster, but every year, people find themselves in the
midst
of fires, floods, earthquakes, and other catastrophic events,
with little, if any, time to prepare. And, every year, personal
and financial records are lost because they can’t be located
quickly in an emergency. That’s why it’s important
to take the time to organize your records and essential information
so that they’re easily accessible if you are forced to
leave your home suddenly.
What To Include
You’ll
want to safeguard both personal and financial records.
Personal records:
Birth certificates for you and your family
Adoption
papers
Social Security cards
Health insurance identification
cards
Marriage certificate, divorce decree, or separation
agreement
Passports
Financial records:
Deeds to your home and other property
Vehicle titles and registrations
Auto, life, and homeowners insurance
policies
Bank account information
Investment records
Wills, trust agreements, and other estate
planning documents
Mortgage and loan agreements
Credit card information
Copies of tax returns
You may also want to make a
list of the names, addresses, and phone numbers of your financial
institution, insurance agent, attorney, doctor, and financial
advisor, and keep them with your records.
You’ve Gathered
Them — Now What?
Now that you have all your important documents
together, you’ll want to
keep them that way. A fireproof box that you can take with you during an evacuation
is one option. But you also should keep copies of all important documents in
a safe place outside your home.
You could rent a safe deposit box and keep copies
there. Just be sure that someone
who doesn’t live in your home has a key. You may even want to stash some
extra cash or a credit card in both places to cover expenses such as food or
a hotel room.
Your Life in Words and Pictures
Having a list of
what you own can help you with insurance claims or tax deductions
in the event of a loss. Take an inventory
of your furniture, audio and video
equipment, appliances, computer equipment, jewelry, collectibles, and other
expensive items. Write down what you paid for the items,
and keep the list, along with
sales receipts, with your important documents.
Photographing or videotaping
your possessions can help you prove what you owned. Include
the photos or tape in your fireproof container or safe deposit
box.
You can buy computer software programs to help
you organize your records. Make sure you print out a hard copy
of the information or copy it to a
disk and
store it with your other important documents.
The information above is provided as a service
by Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York. Protecting
your personal and financial security is important to us. A Security
Mutual Life Representative, working in conjunction with
your other professional advisors, can be instrumental in helping
you plan for the best financial future.
Please contact us if you have any
questions or are in need of planning assistance. (Legal
Notice).
