JACKSON, Miss., June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Residents along coastal areas
are accustomed to stocking plywood, bottle water, and other emergency
supplies as part of a hurricane preparation to-do list. A file containing
important legal papers doesn't top most check lists when it comes to
planning ahead, but U.S. Legal Forms CEO Frank D. Edens says there are good
reasons to take time now to compile your important legal papers for quick
access in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.
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"Katrina and other disasters have made the issue of safeguarding legal
documents even more compelling because many people lost all of their
important papers," said Edens.
Edens, also an attorney, says if you live in an area prone to tropical
storms and hurricanes, there are 5 steps that you can take now to help
organize your legal affairs.
One of the first things that you should do is to locate and review your
home, auto and life insurance policies and to understand your coverage and
policy limits.
"As far as your home and vehicles are concerned, go over the sections
in your insurance policies that talk about physical damage caused by wind,
flooding, rain, storms and hurricanes. The typical homeowner's insurance
policy does not cover flooding and you'll have to purchase this type of
policy separately if you want to be fully protected from potential water
damage caused by tropical storms or hurricanes. If you have comprehensive
coverage on your car, you'll likely be covered in the event of a hurricane.
Tragically, natural disasters such as hurricanes can also take lives, so
taking a minute to go over benefit amounts in life insurance policies and
updating beneficiaries if your personal situation has changed is
recommended too," said Edens.
Edens says Katrina taught many lessons such as the importance of having
proper documentation to file insurance and other claims. This can be
difficult if paperwork is lost or destroyed in a storm and you've also lost
your social security card or birth certificate. Thus, he recommends that
people create what he calls a "life documents file" to store and maintain
important papers.
"A life documents file can include identification records, contracts,
deeds, insurance policies, medical records, photos, and a financial assets
inventory. Taking the time to gather all of your essential records and
making sure you have them in a manner that you can grab-and-go might prove
vital if you get the news that a tropical storm or hurricane is headed your
way," Edens said.
In the aftermath of Katrina and as a public service, USLegalForms.com
posted a free online guide on "How to Create a Life Documents File." It
also includes information on how to replace lost or destroyed documents.
For more information visit http://www.uslegalforms.com/life-documents.htm.
In addition to creating a life documents file, Edens says you should
prepare a Will, Living Will, and Power of Attorney, if you have not done so
already.
"These are the essential legal forms that everyone should have on file
just in case. USLegalForms.com has created form packages to assist
individuals and families with securing legal forms for emergency
preparedness and long- term planning or you can have an attorney prepare
them for you," he said.
According to Edens, once you compile your legal papers, you should keep
them in a very secure place. Two good locations for storing a life
documents file are a safe deposit box in a bank or a home safe.
Finally, Edens recommends that you tell someone you trust, such as an
attorney or close family member, about the location of your records in the
event you are unable to communicate with them. You might also keep a copy
of your file with an attorney if you have one or a relative who doesn't
live in a coastal region.
"It might have proved beneficial for Katrina and Rita victims along the
Gulf Coast to have had a life documents file with a relative in another
state. It is something to think about as far as being legally prepared this
time around," said Edens.
For additional information on U.S. Legal Forms, please visit
USLegalForms.com or call (601) 825-3065.
About U.S. Legal Forms, Inc.
U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. (http://www.uslegalforms.com) is the nation's leading
publisher of state-specific legal forms on the Internet. The company sells
legal forms and related products to attorneys, small businesses, and the
public. USLegalForms.com now lists more than 50,000 state-specific legal
forms which are drafted in the required language and style needed to
conform to the laws of each state. The production staff, comprised of
attorneys, research and update legal forms to account for variations and
revisions in state law. USLF products are designed to assist attorneys in
conducting their business more efficiently and to help consumers with
common and routine legal needs. In 2005, U.S. Legal Forms was named to the
Inc. 500 list of fastest growing private companies in America, ranked at
#261. The Mississippi Business Journal also placed U.S. Legal Forms on its
2005 Fast 40 list of fastest- growing privately held companies in the
state. U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. is a subsidiary of USLegal, Inc.
(http://www.uslegal.com), a legal publishing company which operates legal
websites including FormsPass.com, SearchLaw.com and LawStore.com
SOURCE U.S. Legal Forms, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.uslegalforms.com
http://www.uslegal.com
http://www.uslegalforms.com/life-documents.htm
Photo Notes:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040519/CLW069LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
CONTACT:
Carrie Criado, Director of Public Relations
of U.S. Legal Forms, Inc., +1-601-825-3065, ext. 320, or Fax,
+1-601-825-2102, or carrie@uslegalforms.com
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