Items You Should Store in Your Home Safe

Home safes are a convenient way to keep your valuable items save, but many people wonder, what exactly should you be storing there? As always, we’re happy to answer any and all questions you have about the safety and security of your property – your valuables, home, business property, and vehicles, too. We’re Southern California’s security experts – so bring us your toughest questions!

Items you should keep in your home safe

There are plenty of valuables that should be kept in your home safe for your convenience, including:

• Social security cards
• Passports
• Insurance policies
• Any “power of attorney” documents

When considering whether to store a particular item in your home safe, think about this key question: does it have value to you, but not necessarily to a potential thief? If so, then the ideal place for it is your home safe. The reason is – a burglar could easily gain access to your home and force you to open it or just carry away the entire thing, whereas gaining access to a safe deposit box will be much more difficult. Any items that would be valuable to a thief should be placed in a safe deposit box.

Another key question to ask when considering whether to put items in a home safe is, could you need it quickly? Social Security cards, passports, insurance policies, and power of attorney documents may need to be accessed immediately – which won’t work if they’re tucked away in a bank deposit box and it isn’t open. It’s better to keep them in your home safe, where you can access them 24/7 without a hitch.

How about your will?

That laws about original will documents vary state-to-state, so check with your attorney before stashing your will in a home safe or safe deposit box. It’s a good idea to acquire an estate attorney who will hold onto original will documents for you, but if that’s not possible, then you could keep it at home in a fireproof safe. For optimal security, give the combination or spare key to a trusted person who doesn’t live with you. If you store your will at a safe deposit box, your relatives may need to get a court order to gain access to it, which can be pesky and time-consuming. You may be able to prevent delays by making sure you name will executors on the will document. Some banks will allow executors to see wills if they have proper ID and are specifically named in the document.

How about personal treasures?

Place vintage photographs, old-school camera negatives, stamp collections, and emergency cash into resealable plastic bags and stash them in your fireproof home safe. If your personal treasures are irreplaceable, though, your best bet may be to put them in a bank safe deposit box. Your safe could be stolen, a fire, floor, or other natural disaster may destroy it, and there’s no guarantee that your treasures won’t be lost.

Picking out the ideal safe

Come to Curley's Key Shop and let us know what you’d like to store in your home safe. We’d be happy to recommend certain safe brands, makes, and models to meet your needs well. We’re located at 306 E. Monterey Ave. Pomona, CA 91767 and business hours are Mon through Fri 8:30 – 5:00, Sat 9:00-1:00. We also provide professional safe installation services.