Tell me about Fire Safes for documents/valuables

[niccig]

I've been meaning to get a fire safe for a while to put passports, ss cards, insurance/house info.

I don't know what size to get, or what to even look for. Any suggestions of what to get or where to buy? What should I put in there?

Also, how do you protect you files from people? Eg. our house cleaner comes when we're not home, nothing has ever been taken, our credit reports are fine, but I do worry about the credit card statements that sit in the filing cabinet - our cabinet is a wood one and doesn't have a lock.

Friends just had some things taken by respite babysitter provided by the state, someone they thought they could trust. Obviously not, so I think we should also lock up all our papers etc.

Thanks.
Nicci

[kimberley-k]

I've been looking too, but couldn't decide on one. I've noticed in the Amazon reviews that some of the cheaper ones have plastic parts on them - which would obviously melt in a fire.

-Kim

[MacMacMoo]

my mom is rather paranoid when it comes to safes. So I'm of the mind set that if you are going to take the time and money to have a safe make sure its one you can have bolted to the floor.

[shawnandangel]

We keep all of our important papers in a lock box at the bank. If a fire is hot enough it will turn all the papers inside the safe to ash. We only keep replacable items in there like our passports. I agree with pp. I would bolt it to the floor if you do get one.

[urquie]

we bought a fireproof safe from costco. i usually research everything i buy... unless it's from costco :) they may have had two or three sizes - we bought a medium size.

[alien_host]

DH bought me a safe one Christmas that was from a local Lock and Safe company. It weighs almost 300 lbs. It can be bolted to the floor. It took two huge moving guys to move it into the house when we moved (with the door on but empty). Previously DH took the door off to move it with a friend. Your average crook would not be able to walk off with it easily, but bolting it would ensure that.

I think it is this brand: www.amsecusa.com/fire-safes-ul-impact

[infomama]

We have a huge 270 pound safe that is bolted to the floor and locked inside that we have a fire safe for our important papers. Our big safe is not fire proof and would basically become what any big metal box would when engufed in flames...an oven. A safe of that size that is rated for fire would cost thousands and thousands of dollars. I would suggest making copies (or scan) of all your really important stuff and keeping those off site if possible.

Our fire safe is a (hanging file style) Honeywell and you can get them at numerous places including Walmart. Its rated for a half and hour at 1500 degrees (I think). We chose it based on the reviews and I feel good about it. I can't link to Walmart's website now for some reason so I can't provide a link, sorry.