In the wake of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma where mass evacuations are recommended to escape the deadly powers of the hurricanes one question comes to mind. What important paperwork should you take with you during an evacuation to keep safe?
The one thing that we might not think about in time of crisis is important paperwork or possessions that we may never get back or things that are extremely hard to replace. Things like houses and cars can be replaced fairly easily with the proper insurance but things like passports, licenses, and deeds may be a bit harder to replace.
Remember that if there’s a chance that your house is not going to make it other buildings in your area might not make it as well, including the record keeping buildings. It’s recommended that you should take a video walk-through of your house making record of all your possessions and items in your household for insurance.
What some people may not think of is the storage of these documents, if you’re in danger of flooding keep a waterproof container with all of your important documents ready to go in time of emergency. FEMA publishes a document outlining steps you should take to be ready for an emergency.
Alternatively you can scan and upload copies of these documents to a safe place online, preferably somewhere encrypted and safe. Keep in mind that while this is a great way to store these documents some places require having the original as proof.
Before we go into a more intensive list the basics are this, anything that identifies you and your health are the bare minimum you should take with you. Keep everything safe and always ready to go, we all know that these things happened at the most inopportune time.
Below you’ll find our list of recommended things to take with you:
- Photographs
- Vital Records
- Birth/Death Certificates
- Social Security Cards
- Marriage Certificates
- Divorce Papers
- Wills
- Immunization Records
- Business Licenses & Permits
- Passports
- Military Records
- School Records
- Report Cards
- Diplomas
- Transcripts
- Training Records/Certificates
- Awards/Certificates
- Work Records
- Resume
- Awards/Certificates
- Pay Stubs
- Latest W2
- Licenses/Permits
- Wallet Contents
- ID Cards/Driver’s Licenses
- Credit Cards
- Additional Licenses
- Insurance Records
- Health Insurance Cards
- Auto Insurance Cards
- Homeowner’s Insurance Policy
- Property Documents
- Real Estate Doucments
- Home Purchase Doucments
- Rental/Lease Agreements
- Inspection Doucments
- Home Improvement Reciepts
- Auto Titles
- Auto Registrations
- Firearm Records
- Real Estate Doucments
- Medical Records
- X-Rays
- Dental Records
- Pet Immunizations
- Current Bills
- Utility Bills
- Car Payments
- Mortgage Payments
- Other records, receipts, or documents that would be difficult or impossible to replace
