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How to Build an Emergency Digital Grab File Before Natural Disasters

A digital grab file brings essential document copies together before a storm or evacuation. Build it while you have time to check the information and explain access to your family.

Gather essential document copies

• Identification and key household contacts.
• Homeowners, renters, auto and health insurance information.
• Property and vehicle ownership documents.
• Home inventory, receipts and photos of valuable belongings.
• Medication lists, provider contacts and relevant care instructions.
• Important legal documents and the location of originals.
• Financial institution contacts and information needed to manage essential bills.

Organize and test retrieval

Use clear filenames and dates. Upload the copies to your secure vault and verify that you can open them from another device. Choose a Trusted Connection and check that the person can reach the documents you have authorized.

Prepare for loss of power or connectivity

Keep an appropriately protected offline or paper copy of critical information. Cloud access requires connectivity. Include emergency supplies and medicines in your physical evacuation kit.

Keep it current

Review before storm season and after insurance renewals, moves or major household changes. Follow official evacuation instructions; document gathering should never delay leaving an unsafe location.

Source: Ready.gov financial preparedness guidance

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