By Devon Haia, NHLC Staff Attorney
Disasters are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity in Hawaiʻi and around the world. If disaster impacts your ʻohana, recovery is easier when your legally important documents are accessible. Here is a list of the most commonly needed documents:
Personal identification documents including: 1) driver licenses; 2) social security cards; 3) birth certificates; 4) passports; and, 5) state issued identification cards. School identification and yearbooks can also be helpful. Identification documents can be replaced if lost or destroyed, but it can take time (standard processing is 4-8 weeks). Without identification, your access may be delayed to some financial assistance. Relatedly, consider safe storage of family genealogy research and records.
Land ownership, personal property ownership, rental/tenancy, and insurance policy documents. These may be necessary after a disaster to establish eligibility for some forms of disaster assistance. Whether you rent or own, the following documents will help prove ownership or residency so you can file claims if there is damage to your home following a disaster: 1) a property deed; 2) a mortgage agreement or note; 3) a lease or rental agreement; 4) an insurance policy. Similarly, if you own any automobiles or watercraft, you will need the title, registration, and insurance policy to make any claims if there is damage.
Documents regarding trusts, estates, and familial relationships. If you or a family member currently have any of the following legal instruments, it is important to keep them accessible: 1) a last will and testament; 2) a power of attorney; 3) adoption papers; 4) orders of protection against domestic violence; or, 5) child custody or visitation agreements.
Medical Prescriptions and Equipment. If you or family members are on medication or have medically necessary equipment lost in a disaster, having a copy of the medical records for these items that you can provide to disaster relief organizations may help you access to replacements faster.
Keep originals of these documents in a secure, easily accessible location to ensure they can be quickly retrieved during an evacuation. Choose a document-storage method that fits your needs and keeps your information safe while still easy to access in an emergency.
Original documents that are not used regularly can be stored in a home safe or a bank safety deposit box. In case originals are lost or destroyed, keep digital copies, like photographs or scans, securely saved to a password-protected cloud service. For documents, like insurance policies, that are accessible online, save your login information for the relevant online systems.
Evacuating promptly and safely is the top priority during a disaster. Ensuring that these legal documents are organized and easily accessible will help reduce stress and support a smoother recovery process. Be disaster resilient by keeping these legal documents prepared and accessible.
I ka moana nō ka iʻa, liuliu ʻia nā pono lawaiʻa; While the fish are still in the sea, get your gear ready. – ʻŌlelo Noʻeau #1184
E Nīnau iā NHLC provides general information about the law. E Nīnau iā NHLC is not legal advice. You can contact NHLC about your legal needs by calling NHLC’s offices at 808-521-2302. You can also learn more about NHLC at nativehawaiianlegalcorp.org.
