If you have traditionally tended to put all your faith in banks and safety deposit boxes in the past, you should reconsider your position. These institutions can certainly help safeguard your money when deposited through their systems, but there are many reasons why you should take your own precautions when handling important documents and emergency cash. What are some of the key reasons for getting a safe at home in particular?

You Can Protect Emergency Cash

It's not a good idea to keep large amounts of cash in a bank's safety deposit box. This is not considered by federal regulators to be money held by the bank, per se and is therefore not insured. You should consult with your home insurance provider, but emergency cash that's held in your home is usually covered by an insurance policy.

You Can Manage & Access Documents

You should retain any important documents that you might require in the unfortunate event of a death in the family and not put these in a bank safety deposit box. In this way you will have access to them immediately. A bank is required to seal a safety deposit box when it receives notice of death. This means that you will have to get court papers in order to open a box from that point on.

If you're unlucky enough to suffer damage to your home during a fire then you will want immediate access to insurance policies and contact details for the agent. You should therefore hold this information in a fireproof safe within your home.

When you get a fireproof safe you should place all financial records and accounts within, in case the originals are lost, or damaged by fire. In an emergency you might need immediate access to funds and the specific information contained within these papers.

There are many other documents that you should keep within a safe, rather than in a desk drawer somewhere in your home. For example, the original birth certificate and passport for every member of the household. These can be challenging to replace and the passport in particular can be a target for would-be thieves.

You Can Take Care of Important Memories & Items

You should get into the habit of backing up all your important digital files onto an external hard drive or onto CDs. In particular, make digital copies of all your family photos. These memories are, after all, irreplaceable.

You should also always put tangible, valuable items in the safe to protect them in the event of a home invasion, such as jewellery or precious coins.

Finally, always ensure that you get a safe that is fireproof, waterproof and has enough capacity to accept additional papers and treasured items as the household grows. Learn about your options by contacting companies like Safes Warehouse.

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