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Emergency Essentials Checklist: Important Family Documents

How long would it take you to find copies of financial records, insurance documents, birth certificates and more if you had to evacuate at a moment's notice?

OneStorm recommends putting together a Grab-and-Go Folder that contains originals or copies of your important paperwork. Having these documents on hand through a disaster will help you get back on track if your possessions are damaged or you're forced to relocate after a storm. For added protection, store important documents in large plastic bags or other waterproof container.

Put originals or copies of these items in your folder:

• Apartment or condo leases
  
• Home or other property deeds (mortgage, etc.)
  
• Estate documents
  
• Homeowner's or renter's insurance documents
  
• Wills
  
• Life insurance policies
  
• Inventory of possessions and their value
  
• Photos or video of your home and possessions
  
• List of important phone numbers
  
• Flood insurance documents
  
• Vehicle titles, leases, loan documents, etc.
  
• Financial statements (accounts, tax returns)
  
• Stocks and bonds
  
• Copies of recent bills (power, water, etc.)
  
• Government financial assistance award letters
  
• Birth certificates or proof of citizenship
  
• Social security cards
  
• Employment contracts or other legal documents
  
• Medical records, x-rays, benefits documents, etc.
  
• Education records (report cards, etc.)
  
• Passports
• Duplicate prescription from doctor
  
• Computer backup (on a CD, DVD, etc.)
  
• Paperwork for your pets (e.g. medical records)
  
• Copies of important keys