Protecting Important Documents From Water and Fire
The records that are hardest to replace.
Documents are often the most expensive thing to lose. Protect copies early.
Copy the essentials
IDs, insurance policies, deeds, medical information, and contact lists. Keep physical copies in a waterproof bag and a digital copy on a small encrypted drive. After a disaster, proving who you are and what you own is the first step toward recovery, and the documents you can lay hands on quickly are the ones that help.
Make a photo inventory of your belongings — room by room, with serial numbers for valuables. Store the photos in the cloud and on a drive in your go-bag. After a total loss, a photo inventory is the difference between a smooth insurance claim and a months-long dispute.
Two locations
Keep one set of copies at home and one with a trusted person or in a safe deposit box. If your home is damaged or inaccessible, the off-site copy is your backup. A fireproof and waterproof safe at home protects against everyday risks; an off-site copy protects against the worst case.
Update the copies once a year or whenever a major document changes — a new insurance policy, a new deed, a change in medication. A copy that's two years out of date is better than no copy, but a current copy is what you actually want in an emergency.
Sources & further reading
This guide is planning guidance, not emergency advice. In an emergency, call 911. See a mistake? Report it.