Protocol
Keep a secure copy outside the place the original can fail
A copy inside the same failure is mostly convenience, not resilience.
When it fits
- The only copy of a critical household document is stored in the same home, device or account as the original.
When to avoid it
- Do not create uncontrolled copies of highly sensitive documents; use strong access control and local legal/privacy requirements.
Why it matters
For critical documents that would be hard to replace quickly, keep a secure second copy outside the most plausible shared failure: protected cloud storage, a trusted offsite location or another appropriate secure repository. The copy should be accessible when the primary home/device is unavailable without exposing sensitive data casually.
Steps
- What failure could make the original unavailable?
- Does the copy survive that same failure?
- Can an authorized household member access it?
- Is the copy encrypted or otherwise appropriately protected?
An example
A scanned insurance policy stored only on the home PC does not help much if the home and PC are inaccessible after a disaster.
Check your result
At least the most critical records have one independently accessible, protected copy.
Keep this limit in mind
- Do not create uncontrolled copies of highly sensitive documents; use strong access control and local legal/privacy requirements.
Evidence and sources
CFPB/Ready.gov disaster guidance recommends securing originals and storing copies in another safe location or secure online storage.
Do not create uncontrolled copies of highly sensitive documents; use strong access control and local legal/privacy requirements.
Your disaster checklist · See source record