What is the single most important piece of emergency planning?

A written household emergency plan that names who does what, where you meet, who you call, and where your critical documents are. Most households skip straight to buying gear. The plan is what makes the gear useful under stress, and it takes about 30 minutes to write.

What documents should I protect for emergencies?

IDs, insurance policies, property deeds, vehicle titles, medical records, prescriptions, and financial account information, along with anything difficult or impossible to replace. Store originals in a fireproof, waterproof container, keep digital backups in a separate location, and make sure a second household member knows where everything is.

How much cash should I keep on hand?

A reasonable starting point is $200 to $500 in mixed small denominations, enough to cover basic expenses for about two weeks. ATMs and card readers go offline during power outages, and cash is the only payment method that needs no infrastructure to work.

How often should I review my emergency plan?

At least twice a year. Many households tie it to daylight saving time changes or the start of severe weather season. Update it whenever the household changes: new members, new medications, a move, or a change in who lives where.

Do I need a financial advisor or insurance broker to do this?

No. This checklist helps you understand what questions to ask and what to look for, not what to buy. Review your policy for your deductible, coverage limits, and exclusions, and discuss anything unclear with your own agent or advisor.

Domain Checklist

Planning Preparedness Checklist. A plan you have practiced beats a garage full of gear.

Planning is the domain that connects every other domain. You can store water, own a generator, and have a radio, but without a written plan, a practiced drill, and organized documents, those capabilities do not coordinate under stress. This checklist covers the plan, the documents, the coverage, and the practice that ties everything together.

30 min

to write a household plan

people who should know where documents live

2 weeks

cash floor target

per year, minimum plan review

Step 1

Write Your Household Plan.

A written plan covers what your household does in the first hour of any disruption. It takes about 30 minutes at the kitchen table.

Household Plan

Write a one-page household emergency plan
Write your emergency contacts and keep a printed copy

Step 2

Protect Your Documents.

Gathering documents is step one. Protecting them, and making sure someone else can find them, is step two.

Document Protection

Scan and digitally back up all important documents
Get a waterproof, fireproof container for document copies
Confirm a second person knows where your emergency documents are stored

Step 3

Know Your Coverage and Cash Floor.

Know your deductible, your coverage limits, and how much cash gets your household through two weeks with no working card readers.

Coverage

Review your insurance policies and know your coverage limits

Cash Floor

Keep enough cash on hand for two weeks of basic expenses
Write down your financial account access information

Step 4

Practice and Review.

A plan that has never been practiced asks a lot of a household under real stress. Review it seasonally as your household changes.

Practice and Review

Run a household drill so the plan is muscle memory
Review and update your plan each season

Gear

Essentials. Start here.

Planning is mostly paper and process rather than gear, but a few items make it easier.

Browse all gear reviews →

My Readiness

Save this checklist to your dashboard

Free account. Access your saved checklists from any device. No spam.

Personalize

Get a checklist built for your household

Answer 21 questions about your home, location, and situation. We'll tailor this checklist and every other one to match.

Take the Assessment

Keep Going

Browse all checklists