BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - (Business Wire) A disaster, such as a hurricane or tornado, can take a devastating toll on personal or business life. While ensuring physical safety and security is an important part of any disaster plan, keeping an up-to-date financial checklist can go a long way towards ensuring peace of mind once the storm clears. Preparing is easy, and the few hours spent is well worth the investment.
“While we can’t plan if or when a disaster strikes, a financial component to your family and business disaster preparedness is vital in helping people manage through the storm and its aftermath,” said Grayson Hall, senior executive vice president, General Banking, Regions Financial Corporation. “With advance planning, you can safeguard your important financial documents, and have the appropriate resources on-hand to help you recover.”
To assist customers and members of the community, Regions has developed a financial checklist for disaster preparedness that is available from any of our 2,000 bank branches and online at www.regions.com.
Consumers:
- Gather important legal documents, which should include:
- Mortgage/property deeds
- Car titles
- Photocopy of driver’s license
- Passport(s)
- Social security card(s)
- Military records
- Insurance policies
- Health Insurance information
- Will(s), Power of Attorney/Trust documents
- Birth, Death, and Marriage certificates; Adoption or divorce papers
- Tax records
- Make sure you are insured and consider special coverage such as flood insurance.
- Place important documents (listed above) in a waterproof plastic bag or container like those used by boaters, fisherman or divers. A good food storage bag that seals tightly will work also. Take these items with you if you evacuate your home or city.
- Videotape or photograph your home and its contents to ensure that you can recoup replacement costs, especially for valuable items. Place the tape or film with your important documents.
- Place other items like jewels or other valuables in a plastic storage bag and take them to your bank to put in your safety deposit box.
- Visit your bank or ATM and withdraw enough cash to cover meals and accommodations for your family for up to 3 days.
- Sign up for RegionsNet Online Banking to keep track of your accounts, transfer funds, and pay bills from anywhere you have Internet access.
Business Owners:
- Make advance arrangements with key vendors to provide support services to get you back in business.
- Develop a vendor services list or database with key contact phone numbers to help you return your business to operation as soon as possible.
- Make arrangements for employees to be paid in the event of a dispution.
- Familiarize yourself with your insurance policy, riders, etc.
- Secure financial records such as accounts payable and receivable, payroll and banking information, as well as customer databases or information and employee records.
- Protect your equipment, relocate it if possible, if not elevate it above flood level, protect with plastic sheeting, plastic bags and duct tape.
Preparation can go a long way in maintaining financial wellbeing if disaster strikes. In the case of a significant event, Regions Bank may also offer special rates and products to help consumers and businesses recover following a natural disaster. Some solutions include unsecured lines of credit, home equity loans and lines of credit, penalty free withdrawals from CDs and personal and business loan payment deferrals.
About Regions Financial Corporation
Regions Financial Corporation is a member of the S&P 100 Index and Forbes Magazine's "Platinum 400" list of America's best big companies. With $144 billion in assets, Regions is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, trust, securities brokerage, mortgage and insurance products and services. Regions serves customers in 16 states across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates over 1,900 banking offices and nearly 2,500 ATMs. Its investment and securities brokerage, trust and asset management division, Morgan Keegan & Company Inc., provides services from some 400 offices. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.
Regions Financial Corporation
Media Contact:
Tim Deighton, 205-265-4551
