DISASTER READINESS
Planning for the unexpected can be beneficial to your family and your financial health. Disaster gives no warning before it strikes — take the time now to prepare for an unforeseen event. The proper preparation can help you to save time, money, and heartache in an emergency.
To protect your family and financial health, you should compile important documents that are easily accessible and ready to take at a moment’s notice. They should include, but are not limited to:
- BIRTH CERTIFICATE, DRIVER’S LICENSE, PASSPORT (ORIGINAL COPIES ARE NECESSARY TO DISCERN YOUR IDENTITY WITH FINANCIAL COMPANIES)
- VEHICLE TITLE, REGISTRATION, INSURANCE (TO HELP ESTABLISH WHAT IS COVERED AND TO START YOUR CLAIM)
SOCIAL SECURITY CARD
LIVING WILL
MEDICARE CARD
PROPERTY DEED
POWER OF ATTORNEY
MORTGAGE PAPERS
HEALTH INSURANCE CARD
HEALTH CARE PROXY
W-2 (LAST 3 YEARS)
1098 AND 1099 FORMS
It will also be helpful to know what is in your home to identify if you have enough insurance coverage. Knowing your home contents and the prices of valuable items will help with tax- related losses that insurance might not reimburse. In order to document these, use your cell phone or camera to take a detailed video of your home and the contents. The video should include the condition of the interior and exterior of the home. Save this video in a digital cloud that can be accessed from anywhere.
Planning for a disaster is not something many like to think about but following these steps can help you to feel a little more secure in your future.
The information contained herein has been obtained by sources we consider reliable but is not guaranteed and we are not soliciting any action based upon it.