FTC Consumer Alert

Federal Trade Commission Bureau of Consumer Protection Division of Consumer & Business Education

Financial Readiness: 

As Critical as Fully Charged Batteries 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 Home is where most people feel safe and comfortable. But sometimes — say, when a

hurricane, flood, tornado, wildfire, or other disaster strikes — it’s safest to pack up and go to another

location.

	 The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, says that

when it comes to preparing for situations like weather emergencies, financial readiness is as important

as a flashlight with fully charged batteries. Leaving your home can be stressful, but knowing that your

financial documents are up-to-date, in one place, and portable can make a big difference at a tense

time.

	 Here are some tips from the FTC for financial readiness in case of an emergency:

•	 Conduct a household inventory. Make a list of your possessions and document it with

	 photos or a video. This could help if you are filing insurance claims. Keep one copy of your

	 inventory in your home on a shelf in a lockable, fireproof file box; keep another in a safe

	 deposit box or another secure location.

•	 Buy a lockable, fireproof file box. Place important documents in the box; keep the box in

	 a secure, accessible location on a shelf in your home so that you can “grab it and go” if the

	 need arises. Among the contents:

	 •	 your household inventory

	 •	 a list of emergency contacts, including family members who live outside your area

	 •	 copies of current prescriptions

	 •	 health insurance cards or information

	 •	 policy numbers for auto, flood, renter’s, or homeowner’s insurance, and a list of

	 	 telephone numbers of your insurance companies

	 •	 copies of other important financial and family records — or notes about where they are

	 	 — including deeds, titles, wills, birth and marriage certificates, passports, and relevant

	 	 employee benefit and retirement documents. Except for wills, keep originals in a safe

	 	 deposit box or some other location. If you have a will, ask your attorney to keep the

	 	 original document.

	 •	 a list of phone numbers or email addresses of your creditors, financial institutions,

	 	 landlords, and utility companies (sewer, water, gas, electric, telephone, cable)

	 •	 a list of bank, loan, credit card, mortgage, lease, debit and ATM, and investment

	 	 account numbers

	 •	 Social Security cards

	 •	 backups of financial data you keep on your computer

	 •	 an extra set of keys for your house and car

	 •	 the key to your safe deposit box

	 •	 a small amount of cash or traveler’s checks. ATMs or financial institutions may be

	 	 closed.
•	 Consider renting a safe deposit box for storage of important documents. Original

	 documents to store in a safe deposit box might include:

	 •	 deeds, titles, and other ownership records for your home, autos, RVs, or boats	

	 •	 credit, lease, and other financial and payment agreements

	 •	 birth certificates, naturalization papers, and Social Security cards

	 •	 marriage license/divorce papers and child custody papers

	 •	 passports and military papers (if you need these regularly, you could place the originals 		

	 	 in your fireproof box and a copy in your safe deposit box)

	 •	 appraisals of expensive jewelry and heirlooms

	 •	 certificates for stocks, bonds, and other investments and retirement accounts

	 •	 trust agreements

	 •	 living wills, powers of attorney, and health care powers of attorney

	 •	 insurance policies

	 •	 home improvement records

	 •	 household inventory documentation

	 •	 a copy of your will 

•	 Choose an out-of-town contact. Ask an out-of-town friend or relative to be the point of

	 contact for your family, and make sure everyone in your family has the information. After

	 some emergencies, it can be easier to make a long distance call than a local one.

•	 Update all your information. Review the contents of your household inventory, your

	 fireproof box, safe deposit box, and the information for your out-of-town contact at least

	 once a year.

Resources

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Community and Family Preparedness Program 	 	

	 www.fema.gov

	 www.fema.gov/areyouready

American Red Cross Community Disaster Education

	 www.redcross.org

	 www.redcross.org/pubs/dspubs/cde.html 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security

	 www.ready.gov

	 www.ready.gov/america/natural_disasters.html 

Your insurance company

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices

in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file

a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTCHELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity

theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available

to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

1-877-FTC-HELP FOR THE CONSUMER

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ftc.gov

June 2006