WSVN — As we head into peak hurricane season, do you know which documents you should have on hand when emergencies strike? Here’s 7’s Lynn Martinez with The List of important documents you need to have.
When it comes to being ready for a disaster, your important documents need to be easy to find.
Meg Green: "You don’t know what’s going to happen. Things happen. Accidents happen. Storms happen."
#1: PICK A LOCATION
Wealth manager Meg Green says, first things first. Pick a location to keep your important stuff.
Meg Green: "Someone needs to know where it is."
Good places to store documents include a safe in your home, with an attorney, or a safe deposit box. Just make sure your trusted person has keys or combinations.
So what kind of documents should you have on hand?
#2: LIST OF EMERGENCY CONTACTS
A list of emergency contacts is a great place to start.
Meg Green: "Names, phone numbers, addresses, so that the very first thing that somebody could do is contact the people that would need to be in charge of helping."
Also include the name and address for your doctor, your attorney and your insurance agent in case family members have to handle claims for you.
#3: STORE YOUR WILL
Number 3 may seem obvious, but keep a copy of your will in your safe place or contact information for the attorney who wrote it for you. You should also have on hand a living will.
#4: LIVING WILL
Meg Green: "That talks about you, the person. What do you want? Somebody may need to make a decision about you, a medical decision."
#5: ENSURE YOUR INSURANCE
Insurance policy information needs to be organized, too, with policy numbers and claim filing information.
#6: BY THE NUMBERS
Number 6 on our list: bank information. You should have account numbers and credit card numbers in your safe place, but also be able to access this information when you are not home.
#7: WHO ARE YOU?
Last but not least, you have to be able to identify yourself. Keep a copy of your passport, driver’s license, even social security card where you can get to it quickly.
Meg Green: "This is about getting organized and knowing where your stuff is, who has it and who’s allowed to know about it."
A few minutes of organizing now can save hours of searching when time is of the essence.
If you need a little extra help getting started, Meg and her staff have some resources to help you get organized.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Meg Green & Associates
2627 Ives Dairy Road, Suite 201
(305) 931-1400
www.meggreen.com/home