When preparing for hurricane season, the first thing most people do is secure their property, but what about your important documents? 

Failing to safeguard your important documents can result in loss and damage and even put personal data at risk for cyberattacks. We’ll outline simple strategies for protecting your important documents from hurricanes and other natural disasters. 

Key Takeaways 

• Protecting your documents during a hurricane will prevent document loss or exposing your personal data. 

• Keep your documents safe by storing copies online, in a fireproof and waterproof safe, in a safety deposit box, and sharing copies with family members.

• Store digital copies of your documents with a secure storage platform like Trustworthy. 

Documents to Protect During a Hurricane

When you’re in the midst of a hurricane, the last thing you’re probably thinking of is where your important documents are. That’s why you should have a prepared document protection plan put in place. 

John Moore, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, says: “You want to know what you're going to do well before the season starts because it's going to be hard to get everything in place if you're threatened by a storm or a storm forms and you don't have a week to prepare.” 

Important documents that you need to protect include: 

• Insurance documents 

• Finance documents 

• Medical documents 

• Documents that contain your Social Security number 

• Birth certificates 

• Pet records

• Diplomas or military certificates 

• Passports 

• Tax returns and other documents 

• Estate planning documents like wills or trust information 

Create Digital Backups of Your Documents

Your biggest asset when protecting your important documents is digital storage, so you can access your documents regardless of where you are. 

Start by scanning your important documents, which has never been easier, thanks to our smartphones. Nowadays, there are apps and built-in scanner functions on our phones.

Once scanned, you can convert the image into a PDF format so it’s compatible across all devices. You can then upload your PDF files to your desired cloud storage platforms, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive. These platforms have free subscriptions and come with security features that comply with data privacy regulations. 

When it comes to superior cloud platforms, Trustworthy should be your first choice. The Trustworthy Family Operating System® that has advanced digital storage capabilities that make storing your important documents during hurricane season simple. 

Trustworthy protects your documents from the physical dangers of hurricanes and dangers that lurk in the online world, thanks to state-of-the-art security features like 256-bit AES encryption, biometric authentication, tokenization, and two-factor authentication.  

Use Waterproof and Fireproof Document Storage Solutions

While keeping digital copies of your important documents is a good idea to protect them from physical damage, what about the originals? Replacing lost original documents can be a hassle if you’re rebuilding your life after the devastating effects of a hurricane. 

You can protect your documents by using waterproof and fireproof storage solutions like a waterproof safe. To ensure the safe is actually fit to withstand the flood waters of a hurricane, you need to use one with an ETL verification. The safe should also be fireproof with an appropriate UL rating that can withstand temperatures ranging from 1,150° F to 1,850° F. 

You should pick a safe made from materials that can withstand the impact from falling objects and even buildings. 

Regardless of what type of safe you use, store it in an elevated, secure location, as hurricanes are known to bring dangerous storm surges that can reach heights of 30 feet or more. 

Store your backup copies with Trustworthy so you won’t have to worry about your documents being damaged by storm surges or fire. 

Secure Your Documents in a Safe Deposit Box

You can store your important documents in a waterproof and fireproof safe on your property, but that still does not completely remove the threat of damage. 

A good idea is to store your physical papers on a location off your property, such as a safety deposit box at your local bank or credit union. 

You can store critical documents like investment records, financial records, estate planning documents, property deeds, and insurance documents in the safety deposit box. The cost to rent a safety deposit box can range from as little as $15 per year to $300, depending on the size and location. 

To be extra prepared, you should keep copies of all your documents stored offsite with Trustworthy. The intelligent digital vault system has useful features like document analysis, auto filing, document summaries, and filing recommendations to make storing your important documents simplified. 

Organize Important Documents in a Portable Emergency Kit

Part of being prepared for a natural disaster like a hurricane is being ready to evacuate at any given moment with your important documents. You can pack your documents in a portable emergency kit. 

Your portable emergency kit should be a backpack or storage tub that’s easy enough for you to carry during an evacuation. Typically, this kit will include things like bottled water, non-perishable food, first-aid supplies, flashlights, medication, cash, and important documents.  

When packing your documents, store them in a waterproof file folder or binder. In a pinch, you can even use a plastic ziplock bag to store your documents. The documents you should keep in the emergency kit include: 

• Identification documents 

• Medical records 

• Insurance policies 

• Financial documents 

During the hurricane, you should keep the kit somewhere easily accessible and where it’s safe from water and fire. Some people like to store their backpack inside a plastic container. 

Make Copies of Key Documents and Distribute Them Safely

It’s not enough to simply store your documents. You need to make copies and distribute them to your trusted family members and legal representatives should something happen to you and you’re not able to access them. 

You can store these copies in different secure locations to ensure a high chance that they are safe. Document copies you should share include: 

• Health and medical records 

• Driver’s license 

• Identification documents 

• Estate planning documents like wills and health directives 

Trustworthy’s collaboration features make sharing copies of your critical documents simple and hassle-free. You can set up a trusted network of family members and legal representatives with defined roles. Choose what type of access people have and create access-only during emergencies.   

Label and Inventory Your Documents for Quick Access

Never lose track of what and where you store your documents by organizing them into different categories for quick and easy access. You can create categories for things like financial, medical, and legal documents. 

Add labels or digital tags on Trustworthy to your documents to easily identify the one you’re looking for. A good idea is to create an inventory list of all your important documents and where they’re stored. This way, if you store documents online, at banks, or with family members, you won’t lose track of where they are. 

Store this inventory with Trustworthy for easy access and share it with the relevant people who may need access to those documents. 

Review and Update Your Document Protection Plan Annually

Part of being prepared for hurricane season is regularly ensuring your plans are up-to-date, which means reviewing them annually before the start of hurricane season. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

• Review all documents and storage solutions (check that your safes are still secure and that documents are stored).
  
  

• Update any expired documents like insurance policies and medical records.
  
  

• Ensure all backup copies are up to date and still accessible. For example, check if you or your trusted network can log into your Trustworthy account.    

This is your chance to make any last-minute changes to your plan and your documents. 

• Related: How to Restore Documents After a Tornado

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a fireproof safe also waterproof, and will it protect my documents during a flood?

Yes, fireproof safes can withstand water when fires are put out. Whether your fireproof safe will be able to withstand flooding will depend on the ETL verification. 

How do you preserve wet documents?

If your documents managed to get wet during a hurricane, one of the best things you can do is freeze them until you’re able to dry them.