The document folder – important papers within reach
After a fire or a flood, important papers are often lost – and hard to replace. A folder you can grab in one move saves a lot of trouble later.
Originals
- family certificates: birth, marriage and death certificates or the family register
Originals or certified copies
- savings books, account contracts, shares and securities, insurance policies
- pension notices, proof of income, tax assessments
- certificates: school and university degrees, proof of further training
- contracts, for example rental contracts
- will, advance medical directive and powers of attorney
Simple copies
- ID card and passport
- driving licence and vehicle documents
- vaccination record
- land register extracts
- notices about benefits you receive
- proof of insurance contributions, especially for your pension
- invoices for outstanding claims
- membership cards of clubs and organisations
Storing it well
- Keep the folder in one fixed place where you can grab it quickly – and tell everyone in the family where it is.
- Make digital copies or keep copies in a second place: with relatives, friends, a notary, a lawyer or in a bank safe deposit box.
- According to the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, documents are among the first things to move upstairs to safety when a flood threatens.