Safe At Home

Keeping Your Valuables Safe at Home

After your family, your home is probably your most valuable possession, as well as anything in your
home.  It is important to keep anything you value of great worth safe and secure in your home to
protect it from theft or a natural disaster.  Some typical valuable possessions include jewelry, passports,
fine art, financial documents, sentimental belongings, etc.  So, what are some ways you can keep your
valuable possessions safe at home?

First of all, you should consider purchasing a fireproof safe that you can place in a secure area in your
home. Inventory all of your valuables and keep the inventory list on file in your computer, secured by a
password, and put a hard copy of the inventory list in a safe or other secure location. The following
should be included in your inventory list:

• When the item was purchased or its origin.
• A description of the item, which includes any distinguishing features.
• Where the item is located.

In addition to a safe, you should purchase a safe deposit box at WesBanco for your valuables that you do
not need to access often, such as estate planning or other legal documents not used regularly. Doing this
will ensure that your valuables will be safe should your home be destroyed.

Another important way to keep your valuables safe is to obtain the insurance coverage necessary to
protect pieces of jewelry, art, or other sentimental valuables; be aware that some of these valuables
may require an appraisal. Most experts will tell you that it is important to take pictures of your home
(including pictures of each room) and your valuables to have available for insurance purposes in the case
of any type of disaster or other emergency situation. You may also consider videotaping your
home/valuables and keeping a copy of the tape in a fireproof safe and/or in a safe deposit box. You
might want to convert the videotape to a CD-ROM for easier access and storage.

You should also back up all of your computer information onto a secure external hard drive that can be
removed quickly if needed. Additionally, if you want to keep old photos secure, scan them onto your
computer. Then, save them onto a CD-ROM (or other storage device) and store them in your safe or safe
deposit box. This may be a time-consuming activity, but it is worthwhile to be prepared in the case of
emergencies or disasters.

One simple thing you can do is to use an alarm system for your home that will detect burglary, robbery,
fire, and other harmful elements to your home (e.g., carbon dioxide). If you do not feel you need an
alarm system, be sure to secure your windows and doors any time you leave your home and when you
go to bed. As a further precaution, etch your name on all of your computer equipment so it is easily
detectable should it be stolen or misplaced. Also, avoid using a hidden key at your home; give an extra
key to a trusted neighbor, friend or local family member if you are concerned.

The key to your safety is preparation.  While some of these things may take time, the end result will be
your peace of mind in the case of a disaster or other emergency.

Content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal or financial advice. The views expressed are those of the author.