Getting Your Personal Affairs in Order for a Pandemic

Coronavirus… Covid-19…. You have probably gotten tired of hearing about it in the news. The fact is, it’s been disastrous as it spread across the earth. Tens of thousands of people have died and millions more infected. Borders have been closed, businesses closed, millions thrown into unemployment, and draconian mask and social distancing mandates everywhere. Government and health professionals are promising a vaccine, but that’s unlikely any time soon. As the virus continues to spread it will likely change into strains not prevented by any vaccine. When that happens there will be an increased risk of another worldwide pandemic.

We will not have immunity to this form of influenza and it can be deadly. It may be similar to the 1918 flu that killed 40-50 million people around the world. If it starts to spread again, life as we know it will change even more than it has already. This virus could last for months at a time and up to three years or more. In fact, it may stay around like the seasonal flu virus for decades. More than likely schools and businesses will again be closed, public events canceled, transportation shut down and travel severely limited. You may be out of work and housebound for months at a time.

In the event of a pandemic crisis of even greater magnitude, it is important to have your affairs in order. You need to make sure you have copies of all relevant important papers gathered together, including but not limited to: health and life insurance papers, home and auto insurance policies, investments and employee retirement plans, social security cards for you and your family, birth certificates, marriage and divorce papers, court documents, car titles, loan papers, credit card statements, pay stubs, mortgage papers, medical history, driver licenses, id cards, title deeds, employment agreements, employee handbooks and benefits paperwork, banking information, wills, and passports.

Inventory all of your assets. Have photos or video of all your household goods. Place a value on all items.

You should have the originals in a secure place and copies stored separate. You can also scan in all your documents and then burn them to a cd. Family members should know where these documents are.

You should consider updating your will, upgrading your life insurance and increasing your health insurance benefits. Check with your employer on their policies regarding pandemic coverage and what will happen if you are out sick for an extended period of time.

The economic consequences of a global pandemic is catastrophic. Millions around the world will become ill and millions will die. You best defense it to stay informed about coronavirus, get your personal affairs in order and prepare for a possible second wave of Covid-19.