If a hurricane is approaching your community, you will likely have little time to react. In those critical moments, your focus will be on your family’s safety. Once the threat passes, having your finances in order will be very important as you begin the recovery process.

Hurricane season officially starts June 1^st, so it’s important to make sure you are preparing now.

Here are three steps to financial preparedness as we approach hurricane season.

1. Assess and Compile

Gather your important financial documents and contacts.

• Make sure you have Photo ID’s, birth certificates, social security cards and military records in a safe an easy location to access.
• Print or download statements of bills like mortgage payments, utilities, loan payments, and membership fees.
• Download banking or bill pay apps to your cell phone so you can easily pay bills online. (Learn more below about FineMark’s Mobile Banking Apps!)
• Take pictures or record a video of the rooms in your home and any valuable belongings, as well as the important documents.

2. Review

Review your insurance policies and financial paperwork to be sure they are accurate and current.

• Check your homeowners and vehicle insurance. Is your coverage up to date and appropriate if an emergency strikes?
• If you rent, ensure that your lease reflects your current rent and verify your insurance is current.
• If you don’t have documents like a living will and or life insurance, you may want to take steps to set them up.

3. Safeguard

Store paper and electronic copies of all the files you collect in a safe location.

• Consider storing paper copies of important documents at home in a fireproof and waterproof box or safe, in a bank safe deposit box, or with a trusted friend or relative.
• For electronic copies of important documents, store them in a password-protected format on a removable flash or external hard drive in your fireproof and waterproof box or safe.

And finally, consider setting aside money in an emergency savings account to be used in an emergency. Also, keep a small amount of cash at home, stored with your important documents. It is important to have small bills on hand because ATMs and credit cards may not work during a disaster when you need to purchase necessary supplies, fuel or food.

A disaster can disrupt our lives for weeks, months and even years so the more we plan ahead, the better off we’ll be. For more information and click to download a financial first aid tool kit from FEMA.

Check out some of our helpful resources below!