Disaster Recovery: Strength from Planning

No one wants to think about worst-case scenarios, but no one knows when disaster will strike either. Whether a crisis is natural or man made, how fast you recover depends on how well you have prepared in advance. Fortunately, there are steps you can take now to speed your recovery, should there be trouble in the future.

Plan ahead
Like any well trained Boy or Girl Scout will tell you, it is important to be prepared. Without a financial safety net, unexpected events such as a sudden job loss or loss of a home, will undermine your financial health and stability. For that reason, financial experts recommend establishing an emergency fund to cover two to six months of expenses. If you don’t already have one, consider opening a Wachovia Free Checking account and coupling it with a Premium Savings, to help you save for your future.

Secure your documents
When disaster strikes, the last thing you want to worry about is where to find your important documents. While it is safe to keep certain papers at home, such as copies of insurance policies or passports for example, other documents, such as social security cards, deeds, titles, and lists of bank accounts and credit card numbers, should be kept in a safe deposit box.

Protect your home
Depending on where you live, you may be able to anticipate common natural disaster dangers. If you live in L.A., you want to be prepared for earthquakes. If you live in the Midwest, tornadoes are more likely. Visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency† web site for your local disaster dangers and ways that you can prepare before one strikes.

Stay smart
Unfortunately, in many crisis situations, there are those who would take advantage for their own greed and gain. Remember that Wachovia Online Banking is safe and secure and monitored. That’s why we ask you for online passwords and access codes, and encrypt data so that no one else can read it.

In the unlikely event that someone establishes unauthorized access to your deposit accounts through Online Services, you are 100% covered for any funds removed from those personal deposit accounts, including loss of interest, insufficient funds and overdraft charges, when you contact us within sixty days of receiving your statement that contains the unauthorized activity. To notify Wachovia of fraudulent activity, please call (800) 950-2296, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Remember, that with Wachovia, even in a disaster, you’re always protected.