| Looking back at 2007, it sure seems like nature had it | | | | hotel. Be sure your laptop has the programs you use |
| in for the suburbs. The whole country was beset by | | | | everyday. Know how to forward your phone |
| weather related disasters. We had wildfires in | | | | numbers to your cell phone. If you use an email |
| Southern California, ice storms in the Midwest, and | | | | address that's derived from your internet cable |
| flooding in the Northeast. It was devastating for | | | | service (for example, ) know your service password |
| those affected, and chilling for everyone else. The | | | | so you can read emails as web mail because a storm, |
| damaged homes on the news were ordinary | | | | fire or other disaster may knock out your local cable |
| suburban homes. It was so easy to imagine it | | | | service connection. Remember, too, that online |
| happening to us or someone we loved. The truth is | | | | banking services can be invaluable when trying to |
| that our homes are susceptible to fire and water | | | | manage bill payments in a crisis. |
| damage. They are lovely straw houses, waiting for | | | | What about your physical possessions? You should |
| an accident, a little negligence, or the perfect storm. | | | | ask yourself how much it would cost if you had to |
| So what should we do to prepare? | | | | replace all your belongings yourself. Even if you have |
| If you want to recover financially from a home | | | | home insurance, your initial estimate might be closer |
| disaster, there are two things you need to protect: | | | | to reality than you thought. A client of mine, Julie, |
| your digital information and your physical possessions. | | | | lost all the contents of her home when her condo |
| Vanessa Wood of Design to Spec, LLC was one of | | | | complex burnt to the ground. She offers three tips |
| those unlucky people whose home was flooded on | | | | for protecting and recovering your physical |
| four separate occasions in 2007. She gives us three | | | | belongings: |
| tips for protecting our digital files and connections: | | | | 1. Do not be underinsured. If you purchase big ticket |
| 1. Don't touch that computer! Whether your | | | | items, or remodel, make sure you update your |
| computer has been under water, smoke damaged, or | | | | insurance policy to cover all your new additions. |
| hit by debris, it might not be safe to touch | | | | 2. Keep detailed records of all estimates, transactions |
| immediately after a disaster. Unplug your computer | | | | and conversations. Julie had to go over her agent's |
| so it will not experience a power surge when | | | | head to a supervisor to get the rest of the money |
| downed power is turned back on. Allow a | | | | that she was owed for her insurance claim. She was |
| professional PC consultant to examine the hard drive. | | | | able to do this because she kept notes and copies of |
| A good consultant can recommend a sterile lab that | | | | everything she mailed and faxed. |
| is expert at the recovery of valuable data and files. | | | | 3. Don't keep your important documents in your |
| 2. Store hard to replace records and files on a server. | | | | home. Keep your passport and other important |
| This could even be the same server that hosts your | | | | documents in a safe location. Julie's home safe didn't |
| website. Taking this extra step may entail scanning | | | | withstand the heat of the fire and all was lost. If you |
| documents and choosing to accept bank records in a | | | | must keep the originals at home, keep copies in a |
| digital format. Not only will you have your records in a | | | | separate safe location, like a safety deposit box at |
| safe location, but you will free up space in your filing | | | | your bank. |
| cabinets and shelves. Check with your tax advisor to | | | | My hope is that everyone affected in the disasters |
| verify which records can be held as digital records, | | | | of 2007 were well prepared, but I know some are |
| rather than paper. | | | | probably still struggling to recover what they lost. |
| 3. Stay mobile. Stay flexible. You may not be home | | | | Make sure you're prepared for disaster by following |
| for awhile. You might have to handle your finances or | | | | the tips above. |
| an insurance claim from a friend's house, library or | | | | |