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Keep a secure, accessible record kit with household identification, financial and legal documents, medical information, and important contacts. Add protected paper and digital copies, plus a modest cash reserve for urgent purchases if ATMs or cards stop working. The kit cannot restore a bank or payment network, but it can help you identify accounts, contact providers, and recover when service returns.

What to put in the kit

FEMA’s Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) organizes records into four categories: household identification, financial and legal documents, medical information, and household contacts. Use those categories as a checklist, selecting records that your household may need to prove identity, manage essential expenses, or restore access after a disruption.

Household identification

  • Copies of government-issued photo IDs, such as driver’s licenses, and passports.
  • Copies of Social Security cards, birth certificates, marriage or divorce records, and other identity records relevant to your household or dependents.
  • Relevant household information, including employer and trusted-contact details.

FEMA’s EFFAK advises making a copy of wallet-carried items and storing it with the kit. Favor copies over carrying sensitive originals in an evacuation bag unless an original is specifically needed.

Financial, property, and legal records

  • Bank and brokerage institution names, account identifiers, and customer-service phone numbers.
  • Insurance company or agent contacts, policy information, and housing and utility account details.
  • Card and check/account information needed to identify accounts or authorize payments through available channels. Keep these details protected; the kit should not expose more sensitive information than necessary.
  • Property titles or deeds, tax and employment records, and a home inventory. For valuable belongings, include receipts, appraisals, or photographs when available.
  • Wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.

Record enough to help you re-establish access and document what you own, rather than placing every original or full account credential in a grab-and-go kit. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) says that “creating a financial plan in case a disaster strikes can save you money, stress, and time” in its Get prepared before a disaster or emergency strikes guidance.

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Medical information

  • Medical insurance details and health records that could be useful during an emergency.
  • Information about relevant prescriptions, conditions, or other medical needs.

Keep copies in the kit and store originals safely where appropriate.

Household and provider contacts

Print current numbers and, where useful, website addresses for banks, insurers, employers, doctors and other care providers, landlords or mortgage providers, and trusted household contacts. Paper contact details remain available if a phone is lost, its battery is depleted, or it cannot connect.

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How the kit helps when banking services are unavailable

A record kit does not make an unavailable bank, ATM, card network, or payment system work. It preserves the information needed to contact a provider, identify accounts, use alternate payment channels when available, and handle recovery after service returns. Keep at least one copy somewhere you can reach without the affected bank’s online portal or a single device.

A modest cash reserve can help with some urgent purchases when ATMs or cards are unavailable. Neither the FDIC nor the FTC guidance cited here specifies a dollar amount; choose an amount based on household needs and circumstances rather than treating one figure as a universal rule.

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Do not confuse deposit insurance with emergency spending money. The FDIC’s 2025 guidance describes coverage of at least $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category, subject to applicable rules. Check the FDIC’s current deposit-insurance coverage details for the rules that apply to your accounts.

Choose storage that remains accessible and protected

No one storage method covers every risk. Compare options by whether you can reach them during an outage, protection against fire and water, availability away from home, privacy and access controls, and the possibility that one event could destroy both the original and its backup. The agencies do not rank these methods.

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Storage method Useful for Considerations
Protected paper set at home Quick access to records and copies Keep it secure but accessible. A waterproof bag inside a fire-resistant container is one agency-supported approach; no container should be assumed to withstand every disaster.
Evacuation copy Key information while away from home Carry copies of essential records, not more sensitive originals than necessary, and protect the papers from water. A waterproof document pouch or bag may help, but check its stated protection and limitations.
Password-protected removable storage Offline electronic copies Protect both the device and files, maintain a separate backup, and make sure you can access the records without relying on one phone or account. An encrypted USB drive is an option, not a complete backup plan.
Secure offsite digital copy Recovery if home records are lost Use strong access protection and confirm that account recovery will still work during the disruption.
Safe-deposit box Originals you rarely need The FDIC notes that boxes may not be waterproof; consider sealed protection. A box at a bank may be inaccessible while that bank is closed.

A fire-resistant document safe or box may protect a home paper set, but compare the product’s stated limits rather than assuming it will withstand all disasters. The agencies do not endorse specific brands or certify particular products.

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Keep the records usable

  • Keep more than one copy in separate places so a single loss does not destroy every record.
  • Protect paper from water and fire as appropriate to its storage location.
  • Use access controls for digital copies, and plan how you will unlock them if your usual device, bank login, or internet connection is unavailable.
  • Update the kit after changes to accounts, policies, household members, or other important records. A recurring reminder can help; the cited sources do not set a mandatory refresh schedule.

Scope: U.S. guidance

This checklist draws on U.S. guidance from FEMA, the CFPB, the FDIC, and the FTC’s How To Organize Your Important Papers Before a Disaster Strikes. Identity documents, deposit protections, insurance records, and emergency assistance differ by country, so adapt the kit to local institutions and rules.

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