If you rent your home, you don't enjoy the same protections that homeowners—who enjoy the benefits of a homeowner's insurance policy—do. Accordingly, renters must obtain a renter's insurance policy to provide them with similar protection. 

A renter's insurance policy will provide you with a predetermined repayment should a hurricane or fire should ruin your possessions. This will help you replace your belongings and get back on your feet. However, while rental insurance policies are very effective at replacing belongings of considerable tangible value, such as household appliances and ruined furniture pieces they can do little to replace other items. 

Accordingly, after obtaining a policy to protect their valuables, renters must obtain a safe deposit box to protect the following five items:

1. Photographs – In the modern world, photos are usually kept in digital format. However, old family photos that predate the technological revolution cannot be replaced. Keep these photos, and any photo negatives you may have, in a fire-proof, safe deposit box. Be sure to store the photos properly, with wax paper placed between each photo so they do not stick together.
2. Back Up Hard Drive – Because many of your most important documents and files are probably located on your computer, you should routinely save copies of these items to an external hard drive, kept in the safe deposit box. If you do not have a great quantity of important files, a small zip drive, instead of an external hard drive, may be sufficient.
3. Important Paperwork – Social Security cards, birth certificates, immigration paperwork, passports, wills and similar items can often be replaced, but it may take months for you to obtain new copies. Because you may need some of these items during the first few days following a chaotic event, it is wise to keep them in a safe deposit box.
4. Medications – If you take daily medications, it is wise to consult your doctor and ask about keeping an emergency prescription in your safe deposit box. This is particularly important for those taking rare medications, which require extended times to obtain from a pharmacy.
5. Sentimental Items – While your safe deposit box is unlikely to be large enough to contain every sentimental item in your life, it makes good sense to store your most treasured items inside. Examples of these items include your children's school projects and art, jewelry of considerable sentimental—rather than monetary—value and other keepsakes. 

For more information, contact companies like Zimmer Insurance Group.