How to Protect Legal Documents During a Natural Disaster

High winds, unpredictable storms, and tornadoes can put your home and belongings at risk. Preparing your family for a natural disaster is important, but so is protecting your important legal and financial documents.

If your home is damaged or destroyed, having access to these documents can make an already difficult situation easier to manage. Below are several ways to protect your legal documents and other important paperwork before a natural disaster occurs.

1. Back Up Your Documents Electronically

Having an electronic backup of your important documents can be useful during an emergency. Consider storing copies in a secure cloud storage system or another secure location that you can access if you cannot return home.

Electronic versions may serve as a legally valid substitute for paper copies in some circumstances. However, the requirements can depend on the type of document and applicable law, so it is important to keep original documents when necessary.

2. Store Important Documents in a Safe

Consider storing important documents in a fire- and water-resistant safe at home or in a safety deposit box at your local bank.

A secure storage option can help protect important paperwork from fire, water, and other damage. It can also give you one less thing to worry about during an already difficult situation.

3. Create a Disaster-Ready “Go” Bag

A “go” bag can be especially useful when you have advance warning of a natural disaster and need to leave your home quickly.

Consider including copies of important documents, such as:

• Legal documents
• Financial records
• Family records
• Vaccination records
• Immigration and residency documents
• Insurance information

Keep these documents somewhere safe and easy to access. You may also want to keep at least one additional copy in an off-site location. Store paper copies in a sealed plastic bag or another waterproof container to help protect them from water damage.

Which Legal Documents Should You Protect?

Your estate planning documents are particularly important to protect. Depending on your circumstances, these may include your will and trust, power of attorney, and healthcare directive.

You may also need access to financial records, insurance information, property records, and other documents that could be important after a disaster.

What If Important Documents Are Destroyed?

If important documents are destroyed in a natural disaster, do not put off replacing them. Having access to these documents may become important when you are dealing with insurance claims, financial matters, property issues, or other legal needs after the disaster.

Taking steps to protect your documents before a disaster occurs can make it easier to recover and move forward if your home or belongings are damaged.

Protect Your Family With an Estate Plan

Natural disasters are unpredictable, but you can take steps to prepare your family for the unexpected. Protecting your legal documents is one part of that preparation.

If you have not created a will, trust, power of attorney, or healthcare directive, now is a good time to get started. Having an estate plan in place can help your family know how you want important decisions and affairs handled if you become incapacitated or pass away.

Contact us today to discuss your estate planning needs and take the next step toward protecting your family and your future.