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Testing note: We haven’t hands-on tested these products. Ratings and specs come from SentrySafe’s product pages and the Andyer Amazon listing, checked Oct 30, 2026. Guidance comes from Ready.gov and the CPSC.
Bottom line: When the power is out, people light candles and run heaters, and a storm can turn into an evacuation. Ready.gov says having your financial, insurance, medical and other records on hand is crucial for starting recovery after a disaster, and it suggests keeping a small amount of cash at home because ATMs and credit cards may not work (Ready.gov). Our pick is the SentrySafe HD4100: a file box that SentrySafe lists as UL Classified for 1/2 hour up to 1550°F and ETL Verified for flood protection up to 72 hours (SentrySafe).
Our pick
SentrySafe HD4100 Fire/Water File: UL Classified fire protection for 1/2 hour up to 1550°F, ETL Verified flood protection up to 72 hours, and room for up to 40 standard hanging folders, per SentrySafe. Ships and sold by Amazon.com when we checked.
Why papers belong in your outage plan
Most outages end in hours. The long ones, after ice storms, hurricanes or wildfire shutoffs, are when you may need to file an insurance claim, apply for aid, refill a prescription or prove who you are. Ready.gov lists the documents to safeguard ahead of time (Ready.gov):
- Household ID: photo IDs, birth certificates, Social Security cards, military service records and pet ID tags.
- Financial and legal: housing payment records, insurance policies, sources of income and tax statements.
- Medical: physician information, copies of health insurance cards, immunization records and medications.
- Contacts: your bank, insurance agents, health professionals and service providers.
Ready.gov suggests storing documents in a safety deposit box, on an external drive or in the cloud so you can reach them during a disaster (Ready.gov). We’d do both: originals in a fire-rated box at home, and scanned copies on a password-protected drive or cloud account.
Outages raise the fire risk
The CPSC’s winter storm warning tells people to use flashlights or battery-operated candles instead of candles, never to leave burning candles unattended, and to keep portable heaters at least 3 feet from beds, curtains, papers and other things that can burn (CPSC). A fire-rated box is a backstop, not a substitute. Start with working smoke alarms, a home fire extinguisher and rechargeable lanterns in place of candles.
Why cash goes in the box too
Ready.gov says to keep a small amount of cash at home in a safe place, in small bills, because ATMs and credit cards may not work during a disaster when you need supplies, fuel or food (Ready.gov). Card readers and ATMs need power and a network connection. We keep a little cash in the grab-and-go bag and the rest in the box.
Our fireproof document picks
Pick by what you store and how you’d leave. A file box holds the most but is heavy to carry. A bag is light but has no published fire-endurance time. Sellers and stock can change.
Our pick: SentrySafe HD4100 Fire/Water File
A file box for the whole household’s papers. SentrySafe lists UL Classified fire protection for 1/2 hour up to 1550°F, ETL Verified flood protection up to 72 hours, room for up to 40 standard hanging folders (folders not included), and an in-lid organizer for passports, spare keys and USB drives. The privacy key lock keeps kids and casual viewers out; SentrySafe says it isn’t meant to stop tool attacks. It weighs 38.85 lb, so it’s a stay-home box (SentrySafe). Ships and sold by Amazon.com on Oct 30, in stock.
Full specs: SentrySafe HD4100
- Fire: UL Classified, 1/2 hour up to 1550°F
- Water: ETL Verified flood protection up to 72 hours
- Capacity: 0.65 cu ft; up to 40 hanging folders
- Exterior: 14.3 in H x 15.5 in W x 13.5 in D
- Interior: 11.5 in H x 12 in W x 8.1 in D
- Lock: Privacy key lock, two keys
- Weight: 38.85 lb
Small fire box: SentrySafe 1160
A smaller chest for the few papers you can’t replace, plus some cash. SentrySafe lists the same UL Classified fire protection, 1/2 hour up to 1550°F, with a carrying handle and key lock. It holds 0.25 cu ft and weighs 16.9 lb. It’s rated for fire only, with no water rating, so in flood-prone areas we’d seal papers in zip bags inside it or choose the HD4100 (SentrySafe). Ships and sold by Amazon.com on Oct 30, in stock.
Full specs: SentrySafe 1160
- Fire: UL Classified, 1/2 hour up to 1550°F
- Water: No water rating
- Capacity: 0.25 cu ft
- Exterior: 6.3 in H x 15.3 in W x 12.1 in D
- Interior: 3.8 in H x 13 in W x 8.6 in D
- Lock: Privacy key lock
- Weight: 16.9 lb
Grab-and-go bag: Andyer 2-Pocket Fireproof Document Bag
For copies, cash and a contact list you can grab on the way out the door. Andyer lists a 15 x 11 in bag with two zip pockets, made of silicone-coated fiberglass, sold as fire and water resistant, with a reflective strip so you can find it in the dark and a hanging strap. It weighs 9.6 oz (Andyer listing). Andyer doesn’t publish a fire-endurance time like SentrySafe’s UL classifications, so we treat it as a go-bag sleeve, not a replacement for a rated box. Ships from Amazon, sold by Andyer US (the brand store) on Oct 30, in stock.
Full specs: Andyer FDB001 document bag
- Size: 15 x 11 in, two pockets
- Material: Silicone-coated fiberglass
- Closure: Zippers
- Extras: Reflective strip, hanging strap
- Weight: 9.6 oz
- Fire rating: No fire-endurance time published
How we set it up
- Put originals in the box: birth certificates, Social Security cards, passports, insurance policies and titles.
- Scan everything, and keep copies on a USB drive in the box and in a password-protected cloud account.
- In the bag: copies of IDs and insurance cards, a printed contact list, a prescription list and small bills.
- Keep the bag near your 72-hour kit, and keep the box key somewhere everyone in the household knows.
Planning for a shutoff or evacuation? See our wildfire power shutoff guide and winter storm outage checklist.
FAQ
What documents should you keep in a fireproof box?
Ready.gov lists photo IDs, birth certificates, Social Security cards, insurance policies, tax statements, medical and insurance information, and contacts for your bank, insurance agent and doctors. Keep the originals in the box and scanned copies on a drive or in the cloud.
Is a fireproof document bag as good as a fire safe?
Not in our view. SentrySafe publishes UL fire classifications with a time and temperature for its boxes. The Andyer bag lists fire and water resistance but no fire-endurance time. We use a bag for copies and cash you can carry out, and a rated box for originals.
Why keep cash at home for a power outage?
Ready.gov says ATMs and credit cards may not work during a disaster, and suggests keeping a small amount of cash at home in a safe place, in small bills.
Specs checked Oct 30, 2026, from SentrySafe’s product pages and the Andyer Amazon listing. Guidance from Ready.gov and the CPSC. We haven’t hands-on tested these products.