You may be prepared for nasty weather - but what about your important documents. Paper protection...

In the event of bad weather or some other unforeseen disaster, you’ll want to be sure your papers are protected. 

Consumer Reports has a checklist of documents you’ll want to be able to grab and go:

• adoption papers;

• auto-insurance cards;

• birth certificate(s);

• health-insurance cards;

• Homeowners or renters insurance;

• life-insurance documents;

• marriage certificate;

• mortgage or real-estate deeds;

• passports or green cards;

• power(s) of attorney;

• Social Security card(s);

• vehicle registrations and titles; and

• will and living will.

It’s a good idea to have copies of these in a safe deposit box or with your lawyer, just in case. However, most of them need to be the originals or certified replacements. Originals should always be kept in a waterproof, fireproof box.