Grab-and-Go Document Kit
The papers you'll need to prove identity, ownership and insurance after a disaster — sealed and ready.
Question 1
The goal
Keep critical documents and cash safe and portable.
Question 2
Materials
- Waterproof, fire-resistant document pouch
- Copies of IDs, passports, birth certificates
- Insurance policies, deeds, leases
- Medical and prescription lists
- Cash in small bills
- USB drive (encrypted)
Question 3
Substitutes
- Zip-top bags inside a backpack
- Encrypted cloud storage
- Safe deposit box for originals
Where to find it
| Material | Household | Wilderness | Urban / scavenged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pouch | Zip-top bags | Dry bag | Office supply store |
Question 4
Step by step
- 1
Gather IDs, Social Security cards, passports, birth/marriage certificates, insurance, deeds, titles, wills, medical records, pet records.
- 2
Make copies; keep originals in a fire-resistant safe or safe deposit box.
- 3
Scan everything to an encrypted USB drive and a secure cloud account.
- 4
Write a contact sheet with family, doctors, insurers and account numbers.
- 5
Record a video walkthrough of your home and belongings for insurance.
- 6
Add $200–500 in small bills — ATMs and card readers fail in outages.
- 7
Seal it in a waterproof pouch and store it near your exit.
- 8
Review and update it once a year.
Saved steps go to My Survival Notebook.
Question 5
The science
Disaster aid and insurance claims require proof of identity and ownership; duplicate copies in separate places guard against single-point loss.
Question 6
Dangers & limits
- Protect against identity theft — encrypt digital copies.
- Don't keep the only originals in the go-bag.
Question 7
How you know it worked
You can grab one pouch in 30 seconds containing everything to start recovery.