In the wake of the NSW bushfire crisis it is an appropriate time to reflect on how we can better prepare for the unexpected and protect what is most valuable to us.
Not only should you have a thorough bushfire survival plan in place and appropriate insurance, you should consider whether documents of value you hold at home are better off being stored elsewhere.
Copies of personal documents such as photos, certificates and historical records can be stored in a secure electronic environment accessible by you at any time via a password – for example through an
iCloud or One Drive account.
Identification documents such as passports and birth and marriage certificates, property documents like
certificates of title and mortgage documents, and estate planning documents including wills and powers
of attorney, although all replaceable, are much better off being stored in another secure location rather
than at your home. Some legal documents such as powers of attorneys and trust deeds are capable of
being registered through NSW Land Registry Services, providing a permanent record of the document
on the official register.
JMA Legal provides a free safe custody service to clients to store your valuable documents securely in
each of our Cootamundra, Gundagai, Tumut and Junee offices. Access to your documents is available at
any time provided we sight your ID (e.g. a driver licence or photo card and Medicare Card).
We are also available to assist you in replacing documents of value which may have been damaged, lost
or destroyed following the bushfires.
Thinking about how you store documents of value may not be a priority day to day, however knowing
they are safe and secure in the event of the unexpected will provide you with peace of mind.
If you would like us to store documents on your behalf, or are affected by the bushfires and require
support, please feel free to call us Toll Free on 1800 618 869 or call into one of our offices.
This article is general information only and should not be relied on without obtaining further specific information.
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