Most emergencies do not announce themselves. A fall, a medical event, a power outage, a house fire — when something goes wrong, the last thing you want is to be searching for a policy number or trying to remember which pharmacy handles your prescriptions. A home emergency information document eliminates that problem in advance.
What to Include
Start with emergency contacts: full names, relationships, and two phone numbers for each person. List your primary care physician, any specialists you see regularly, and the nearest urgent care and emergency room addresses. Include the non-emergency number for your local police department.
Insurance is the section most people skip and most regret. List every policy you carry — health, homeowner's or renter's, auto, Medicare supplement, and any life insurance — with the policy number, company name, and the claims phone number. Do not just list the main company number. Find the specific claims line.
Medications deserve their own section. Write each medication by full name, dosage, prescribing doctor, and the pharmacy that fills it. If you use a mail-order pharmacy, include the account number and phone number. First responders and emergency room staff will ask for this list.
Financial and Account Information
You do not need account numbers on this list — that creates security risk. What you do need is a record of which institutions hold your accounts (bank names, brokerage names), the name of any financial advisor you work with, and where important documents are stored: your will, power of attorney, any trust documents, and safe deposit box location and key.
Where to Keep It and Who Should Know
Print two copies. Keep one in a designated spot at home — a fireproof box is ideal but a clearly labeled folder works. Give the second copy to your most trusted family member or the person named as your emergency contact. Tell them where it is and what it contains.
Review and update this document once a year — after open enrollment season is a natural time. Any time a policy changes, a medication changes, or a contact number changes, update it that week.
This is not a morbid exercise. It is one of the most practical, responsible things a person can do for themselves and for the family members who may one day need to help them. One afternoon of preparation removes enormous uncertainty from an already difficult moment.
With care,
Mike Bridges
Founder, The O55 Report