Protecting documents if there's a fire or flood

Davette: so sorry to hear that. Your experience only confirms my unease.
Most of the responses focus on using the computer to solve the problem, but I need hard copy to be retrievable too.

I worried about that too. Then when I moved, the moving company from hell lost all my boxes of important documents including the box that had $30k worth of home improvement receipts for 18 years. I didn't even notice until it was time to file taxes. So I lost out on all my deductions. I know that doesn't answer your question.... I just couldn't help myself from rattling on after reading about your file cabinet and how organized you are, as I once was too. ?

I don't think I have any 'important' paper documents any more. Everything is online.

I just have my important documents/account numbers in an old metal biscuit tin in the bureau drawer in the hope that any fire might be caught before it could get through. But then, I am a cup half full person!

Photograph everything you need and store on iCloud would be my solution.

Two drawer metal filing cabinet.

And don't forget the plague of locusts that we're due very soon

We have digital copies of important documents stored on an external hard-drive. Whether we will remember to grab it in an emergency is another matter!

It's probably better to upload them to a drop-box.

You can certainly buy fire- and waterproof safes, but have you looked into the prices of renting a bank-box? It might be cheaper.

All my important documents and photographs are online in paid for cloud storage so, if I have to leave in a hurry, I can access them wherever.
I suspect a thief would simply make off with a small safe unless it's firmly installed somewhere and would you have time to remove the contents? Cornflower's suggestion sounds useful, you could keep it in the bedroom and just grab and go. The vital things to me if leaving in a hurry would be my phone, charger and cards.

I didn't used to worry until My DD's house caught fire from next door's loft. I now keep a fireproof deed box in my loft and have a smoke alarm up there.
I also have always distributed lists of bank account and insurance details plus other useful information to my DDs.

I have a small suitcase size fireproof safe. Not sure if it’s waterproof. I keep it locked but with the key in it as there are only documents inside of no value to thieves.

After we were burgled, we decided to have a small safe professionally installed. You can get fireproof and waterproof safes with different levels of protection but it's probably not a DIY project. It wasn't as expensive as I expected - perhaps worth consideration?

Actually a lot of the damage caused in our house was from the water used to put out the fire: upstairs was fire damaged, downstairs was water damaged. So for example although the kitchen itself wasn't fire damaged, the cupboards were full of water as it came through the ceilings and it all had to be replaced.

You could also put the different policy numbers in your mobile phone contacts list, eg Aviva, their phone number, and your policy number in the additional information or notes section.

When we had a house fire and had to leave it the one thing the fire brigade asked us was have you all got your phones and have you all got a charger.
My husband rang Aviva who our house insurance is with. All he had to give them was our bank current account details as that's who it's arranged through, he didn't need to give the insurance policy number.

Metal filing cabinet?

Nearly everything of ours is online these days, so I think it's more important to make sure our computer files are properly backed up. I have a spreadsheet with all the reference and contact numbers for our wills, policies and investments, and the AC know how to access it. I must admit that I keep a lot of documents in a filing cabinet as well though - belt and braces!

I ve never worried about it I keep my important stuff upstairs so floods wouldn’t hurt and I ve managed 76 years without a house fire so hopefully manage the other little bit?

Amazon do a fireproof and waterproof bag which has a shoulder strap and several compartments/pockets inside.