Money & Documents

Cash

During a power/network outage: no card payments, no cash machines.

• Recommendation: a cash reserve at home for ~1–2 weeks of basic needs (guide value €200–500 per household or the equivalent in your currency, depending on your needs)
• Small notes + coins (5s, 10s, 20s) — nobody can give change for a 100 note
• Store safely, but within quick reach in an emergency (not all in one place)

Document folder (ready to grab, e.g. for an evacuation)

Originals or copies in ONE folder:

• [ ] ID cards/passports (copies)
• [ ] Birth/marriage certificates (original or certified copy)
• [ ] Vaccination records, list of allergies/medications, organ donor card
• [ ] Insurance policies (the numbers are enough), copy of your health insurance card
• [ ] Savings books/securities account statements, pension notices
• [ ] Land register extract/title deeds or tenancy agreement
• [ ] Certificates/qualifications (copies)
• [ ] List of important phone numbers on paper (phone contacts are useless with a flat battery!)
• [ ] Emergency contact outside the region

Digital backup

• Scan all documents → encrypted USB stick (e.g. VeraCrypt container or BitLocker To Go) in the document folder
• Second copy in another place (relatives, possibly the cloud — but the cloud cannot be reached during an internet outage!)
• Password manager: consider an offline export/emergency sheet for the 5 most important logins (kept safe)

Paper phone list (fill in!)

Insurance & damage

After damage has occurred (e.g. a power surge after a blackout): 1. Photograph the damage before clearing up 2. Keep faulty devices (evidence) 3. List: device, date of purchase, approx. value 4. Report it as soon as communication is possible again. In Germany, notification deadlines generally only start once it is possible to report — if in doubt, document everything. The exact deadlines are in your policy.