It’s not always a good idea to store your important business items in a bank, especially when it’s only accessible during specific operating hours. For things that you need to have a direct access to, a fireproof security safe is the most practical and efficient solution.
If you’re considering buying your own safe for your business, it’s worth remembering what items it will be used for. When thinking of storing important business documents and personal items in a safe, some suggestions come to mind.
#1. Data and Hard Drive
In today’s business world, keeping important data backed up is possible through a hard drive. If you want to secure valuable files, it’s best to keep your hard drive in a fireproof safe. It’s vital for a business to retain and safeguard company data. Creating extra copies thru hard drives can improve your ability to preserve information.
#2. Passport and IDs
Passport and identification documents like birth certificates are hard to replace once lost. It’s best to keep them in a fireproof safe so that they’ll be within your reach at a moment’s notice. Photocopies of your driver’s license, proof of ownership of any sizeable possession or property, social security and taxpayer’s IDs, and bank documents are all important items that must be stored in your safe.
#3. Insurance Papers
In cases of fire or any natural disaster, you need to ensure that you’re covered by insurance. By keeping your insurance policy in a fireproof safe, you’ll have immediate access whenever a calamity strikes.
#4. Original Copy of Your Will
Unless you have a lawyer who will keep your original documents on your behalf, it’s essential that you keep all paperwork involving inheritance in a safe. Give the spare key or combination of your safe to a trusted person in case of an unfortunate event.
#5. Financial Information
Each business should learn to not just secure important items but also to manage financial risks. If you’re keeping financial documents of your business in your office, you should be keeping them in a fireproof safe. In the event of any disaster, you should be able to access your funds instantly.
#6. Key to a Bank Safety Deposit Box
A bank’s safety deposit box only becomes valuable when you have access to it. If you’re storing some of your important items in a bank, you should keep the keys in your fireproof safe. This will ensure that you can access the keys immediately when the need arises.
#7. Personal Inventories
Videos and photos you use as proof of ownership for insurance purposes should be kept in a fireproof safe. This way, when a calamity occurs, you can easily get your insurance processed.
#8. Papers Containing Medical Information
You should have a list of prescription medications and contact information of your family doctors and/or specialists in your fireproof safe. So whenever you need new supplies of medications, you can easily access them through your safe. At the same time, avoid the hassle of always asking for a doctor’s prescription.
#9. Funeral or Burial Arrangements
In the unfortunate case of anyone’s sudden demise, the process can be more painful for family and friends if they can’t access funeral and burial papers easily. Keeping everything in one place, including funeral and burial arrangements would remove the stress of having to make such decisions on behalf of the deceased.
#10. Cash
A business should always have a cash on hand in case of emergency and unexpected costs. Keeping your money in a safe will prevent thieves from stealing your emergency cash.
#11. Contact Information of Business Partners, Clients and Suppliers
Networking is very important in a business. But as the company grows, it’s hard to secure and keep track of all the contact information you’ve gathered through the years. When the company loses all contact information of business connections, having a copy of them in your fireproof safe will definitely be useful.
#12. Property Deed and Car Title
These are important documents that you need to secure to prove that you own the company, and any other valuable possessions you may have such as land, vehicles, jewelry, etc. It’s necessary to store these items in a fireproof safe especially if you’re refinancing your property for the purpose of estate planning.
Having a fireproof safe is the best way to secure valuable items that you need to access immediately. But when using a fireproof safe, it’s important to keep the combination or key to yourself and another person whom you trust completely.
