A key part of financial planning is to address potential risks and to plan for worst case scenarios. Most people know they should have wills, powers of attorney, and adequate insurance.

But what happens if there is an emergency? You may have all the right things in place, but your plan will only work if your loved ones know what to do next.

In Case of Emergency
An ‘In Case of Emergency’ document compiles all of your important personal and financial information so that someone you trust is able to deal with your affairs if you are no longer able to. 

The document can be extremely useful if the owner dies, becomes seriously ill or injured, goes missing, or is stuck abroad without access to important documents. 

What Should You Include?
Below is a list of items you should consider including in your In Case of Emergency Document.

Personal Information:

• Your personal details, including date of birth, full contact details, and PPS number.
• Information about your partner, children, and other family members or friends if applicable. If you have children, you should also include contact details for their school and the person you would like to look after them in an emergency.
• Contact details for your employer.
• Health information, including any medical conditions, allergies, medications, and details of your GP. You may also want to specify whether you wish to be an organ donor or not.
• Information on any organisations you are involved with, for example, clubs or charities. 

Financial Information:

• Bank contact details and account numbers.
• Information on any insurance policies, including type, provider, plan number, and contact details.
• Details of any pensions and investments, including plan numbers and contact details.
• Information on your mortgage and any other debts.
• Contact details for any professional advisers, including financial planners, solicitors, and accountants. 

Household Information:

• Details of home utility providers, including contact details and account numbers. This should include electricity, gas, phone, (including your mobile), broadband, property tax, TV packages, and any other services you use.
• Information about your vehicle, including the make and model, registration number and where you keep important documents such as the vehicle registration certificate and service history.

Estate Planning Information:

• The location of important documents, such as wills, powers of attorney, passports, birth certificates, and property deeds.
• For wills and powers of attorney, you should also include details of your executor/attorney in case they need to be contacted.
• Any final wishes that are not specified in your will, for example, around funeral preferences.
• Details of any important personal possessions and valuables, including where they are kept and how to deal with them. For example, you may want to include care instructions or contact details for an appraiser.
• Email and social media account details.

Should You Include Passwords?

You should not include passwords on your In Case of Emergency document. It already includes significant personal information – adding in passwords would make it too easy for criminals to steal your information. Additionally, passwords are changed frequently, and it may not be practical to update the document each time.

You may want to keep a note of your passwords and make sure that someone you trust has access to them if necessary. Keeping your password separate from your username and email address can reduce the chance of your information being compromised. You can also password protect any document which holds identifying information, or store it in a secure cloud-based location.

If you were to die, or something happened that required the use of a Power of Attorney, your passwords are not required. Your executor or attorney would be able to contact the relevant companies and gain access to what they needed. This process takes time, and each provider would require a copy of your will or POA. Most companies require a copy with an original signed certification by a solicitor or notary. 

Where to Store your In Case of Emergency Document

You can store your In Case of Emergency Document:

• In a paper file at home. You may want to make a few copies and make sure they are given to anyone who needs them.
• On your home computer or tablet, providing this can be accessed if required.
• In a cloud-based location, such as Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, or Dropbox. You will need to make sure it is shared with the relevant people.
• With a professional adviser.

Please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the team to find out more about any of the topics covered.