If a fire strikes your home, recovering lost documents can be an infuriating task, which is why it’s worth taking preventive steps to ensure your documents are 100% protected.
That’s why we created this guide. Read on to learn how to protect your documents, why you might want to invest in a fireproof safe, how fire-resistant filing cabinets work, and the importance of digitizing your family documents using a secure digital vault like Trustworthy.
Key Takeaways
A fireproof safe is an effective way to protect physical documents in your home from fire damage.
It’s critical to store your documents using a secure platform like Trustworthy, in case you’re unable to recover your fireproof safe.
It’s important to establish an emergency plan to identify, protect, and access key family documents in the event of a fire.
Invest in a Fireproof Safe for Document Storage
If you want to protect essential paper documents from fire damage, one of the most effective options is a fireproof safe.
Fireproof safes are constructed using multiple layers of steel separated by fireproof materials like gypsum and ceramic fiber insulation. A large proportion of them are also waterproof, which enables you to protect from two different types of disasters with just one product.
“For the most sensitive documents, I still recommend keeping originals in a fireproof safe,” says Jared Duckett, partner and co-founder of Duckett Ladd, which offers accounting and tax planning services in Springfield, Missouri.
“No one expects a disaster, so preparing in advance provides peace of mind. You'll be grateful you took action to safeguard what matters most.”
Considering the addition of a fireproof safe to your home? Your two biggest factors are size and fire rating.
Most fireproof safes adhere to a rating system based on how long they can keep your documents safe at high temperatures. These are in increments of 30 mins and usually go up to around four hours.
Fireproof safes vary dramatically in terms of size. A medium-size safe will generally support an internal volume of around 19L, while an extra-large safe could have a volume of closer to 40L. The size you choose will depend on the number of physical documents you must protect (and the space you have at home).
The key benefit of investing in a fireproof safe is that it enables you to store all your original documents and valuables.
It’s just important to remember that a fireproof safe, despite what it's called, can protect your documents for only a matter of hours, which means you only have so much time to recover your documents before it’s too late.
Related: Do I Need a Fireproof Document Safe?
Use Fire-Resistant Filing Cabinets for Added Protection
Running a business from home? Chances are, you work with a high volume of documents, so you might benefit from investing in a fire-resistant filing cabinet for added protection.
Fire-resistant filing cabinets are designed to do the same job as your typical fireproof safe. However, because it’s a cabinet designed to hold a much higher volume of documents, cost is a significant factor.
You can expect to see similar fire ratings when shopping around for a filing cabinet. But unless you’ve got a high budget to work with, you can generally anticipate a lower rating of 60 minutes or less from your fire-resistant filing cabinet.
That’s why it’s essential you digitize all your documents, too. We’ll walk you through the process.
Create Digital Copies of Physical Documents
Investing in a fireproof safe is a great safety measure to protect important documents and keepsakes like passports, Social Security cards, birth certificates, and cherished photos from ruin. But a safe is only half the battle, and it’s definitely not a sure thing.
That’s why you need to create digital copies of all your documents.
“Recovering damaged documents is challenging. Expect the unexpected and prepare. Take steps now to ensure your affairs stay in order no matter what,” advises Scott Friedson, CEO of Insurance Claim Recovery Support, which helps large property owners negotiate claims with insurers.
“Through settling 500 claims, I've seen policyholders lose irreplaceable records. Digital backups allow quick recovery so you can focus on what matters.”
There are a range of solutions you can explore when digitizing your documents. But if you’re looking for a secure, dynamic, and intuitive way to fireproof your family, you should take a look at Trustworthy.
Trustworthy is a unique Family Operating System® that streamlines the process of digitizing your documents to get your family organized fast. That includes mobile app scans, drag-and-drop document management, and the ability to scan documents directly to your inbox. That enables you to upload whatever you need directly to your secure vault in seconds.
Every document you upload to your vault is protected by 256-bit AES encryption keys, multi-factor authentication, and tokenization. Plus, you can grant different access levels to everyone who needs those documents, such as your spouse, adult children, accountant, or lawyer, so that everybody’s on the same page at all times.
Want to learn more? Check out Trustworthy’s range of features and discover how it can help protect your family's documents from fire.
Regularly Back Up Your Digital Files
Don’t forget: after you’ve created digital copies of your files, you need to regularly check those digital documents to ensure they’re up to date.
For example, you might need to update your will or medical records, upload a new copy of your driver's license, or create amended versions of contracts.
Make sure you budget in time to regularly check and update your digital documents. It’s also worth investing in a tool like Trustworthy, which can prompt you with smart reminders in case your IDs or insurance policies are due for renewal.
Back Up Vital Documents in Secure Offsite Locations
Once you’ve digitized all your physical documents, you also need to consider where you should be storing those physical copies.
If you live in an area that’s prone to natural disasters like wildfires, remember that storing the original copies of your documents at home could pose a high risk. That’s why you might want to store your family’s physical documents off-site.
For example, you could keep a fireproof safe at a trusted friend or family member’s house or choose to store your documents in a safety deposit box at your bank. Just remember that your offsite storage needs to be accessible.
That’s where a system like Trustworthy can really come to the rescue.
Not only does Trustworthy offer a unique digital safety deposit box, but it also provides bank-level security. This ensures your documents are always 100% secure, accessible, and hosted off-site.
Organize Documents in Fireproof Document Bags
If you’re looking for a fast and convenient way to transport family documents in the event of a fire, a fireproof document bag could be a great solution.
A fireproof bag works as an effective emergency kit when disaster strikes.
They’re generally composed of multiple layers of aluminum-based fiberglass, so they can withstand high temperatures. They’re also the perfect size for a few bare essentials like passports or proof of insurance that are easy to grab.
Just remember, your emergency kit needs to be someplace accessible so you can grab it quickly and safely if a disaster does strike.
Create a Fire Emergency Plan for Quick Document Recovery
Nobody expects a fire to come knocking at their door, but you can’t afford to be unprepared for an emergency situation.
That’s why you’ve got to create a fire emergency plan for quick document recovery.
Here’s why to do:
Identify priority documents. Go through all of your family's documents and figure out which are the most important to protect.
Create digital versions of your priority documents. Ensure you communicate where those documents are and how they can be accessed to anyone that might need them.
Regularly monitor and back-up your documents. This guarantees your records are always up-to-date.
Set up a recovery process, record that process, and share it with family members. That way your spouse or children will be able to recover important family documents in case anything happens to you.
Above all else, it’s critical to remember that this isn’t a one-off.
You must regularly review your documents, continue to digitize them, and ensure your processes are up-to-date and shared with the right people in your life.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do fireproof safes work, and are they reliable?
Fireproof safes are composed of layers of steel separated by fire-resistant materials like ceramic fiber insulation so they can withstand extreme heat. They’re generally considered an efficient and effective way to protect documents from fire for as much as four hours.
Which documents should I prioritize protecting from a fire?
Prioritize family IDs, insurance documentation, and financial information to ensure that your family will be on firm footing in the event of a fire taking place.
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Trustworthy is an online service providing legal forms and information. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice.
