Vault Guardian renewal education
Hurricane or wildfire evacuation: the 10 documents to grab in 60 seconds
In every major disaster — from Paradise to Lahaina to Hurricane Helene — survivors say the same thing: 'I couldn't find our papers, and even if I had, we couldn't have carried them.' Here's what to do about that before it's your neighborhood.
In every major disaster — from Paradise to Lahaina to Hurricane Helene — survivors say the same thing: 'I couldn't find our papers, and even if I had, we couldn't have carried them.' Here's what to do about that before it's your neighborhood.
The 10-document grab list
1. Driver's licenses / passports for every family member. 2. Social Security cards. 3. Birth certificates.
4. Marriage certificate. 5. Health insurance cards. 6. Homeowners/renters insurance policy (with policy numbers).
7. Auto insurance cards. 8. Vehicle titles. 9. Property deed and mortgage documents.
10. Current prescription list and copies of critical medical records.
The 60-second bag reality
Nobody actually grabs 10 physical documents in 60 seconds. Families forget originals, grab expired copies, or leave everything and figure they'll deal with it after.
Insurance claims after wildfires and hurricanes routinely stall for months because the policyholder can't produce the policy number or list of insured items.
The smarter alternative
Scan every document once. Store in an encrypted vault you can access from any phone, tablet, or borrowed laptop.
Include a photo/video walkthrough of every room. Insurance adjusters accept this as proof of what was in the home.
Grant emergency access to a family member out of the disaster zone — so if you're separated, they can help you file claims.
After you evacuate
Call your insurance carrier immediately. Get a claim number the same day.
Keep receipts for every expense — hotels, meals, clothing — most policies have Additional Living Expense coverage.
Don't let anyone in your home for 'clean-up' or 'inspections' unless they're documented representatives of your insurer.
The people who recover fastest from disasters had their documents digitized before the disaster. VaultGuardian was built for this — every critical document, on your phone, working even offline.
Download Vault Guardian to track renewals at 90, 60, and 30 days.