Stowing Away Stock Certificates

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Stock certificates are physical documents representing an individual’s ownership in a particular company. Like other legal paperwork, a stock certificate contains sensitive information such as the stock identification number, the name of the company, number of shares owned, dates, and a number of signatures. Dual security and fire rated safes are the foremost method to protect these types of documents and other valuables.

Take Your Certificates On-the-Go with a Fire Chest

Theft isn’t the only disaster you need to arm your home and valuables against. Between 2012 and 2013, fire and rescue authorities attended nearly 154,000 fire emergencies in England alone. While the typical response time in England ranged from 7.4 to 8 minutes—which is quite speedy—that’s still plenty of time for a stock certificate to be severely damaged. Fire chests and fire safes are two ways to prevent your stock certificate and other legal documents (i.e., birth certificates, bank statements, passports, titles, etc.) from total ruin. Fire chests are designed with a waterproof seal which repel any sort of liquid from entering the main chamber. A number of fire chests tested by Safe Options can endure temperatures up to 1700°F and they also come equipped with a specially designed locking system that fastens the unit even when it’s not properly locked. Their light weight frame and carrying handles make them the ideal containers for individuals working in the investment banking field, or others who would benefit from on-the-go, portable fire protection. The Sentry HD2100 Waterproof Fire Chest has verified water protection plus 30 minutes of fire resistance for paper documents as well as digital media. Its freestanding fixing allows you to easily transport the unit when an emergency strikes (no tools necessary). Robert’s Rating gives this chest a first tier bronze rating, which is adequate for an entry-level chest.

Splurge on a Dual Function Fire Safe

The other option available to store a stock certificate is a fire safe, which also doubles as heavy duty protection against burglars. Fires generally move in an ascending direction so experts recommend keeping fire safes on the lowest level of the home. For optimal protection, make some room in either the basement or a crawl space but away from combustible chemicals, flammable machines and heat generators. The De Raat Modus Fire Paper Digital Safe, available in magenta, is built to protect your paper and digital valuables for up to 60 minutes. What’s really great about this safe is the ability to have it free standing or base fixed so if you don’t want to break into the foundation of your home you don’t have to. It’s equipped to hold £2,000 in cash or £20,000 in valuables.

The Specifications Don’t Lie

Fire document safes offered by De Raat are engineered to abide by Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) specifications and are tested against high temperatures, theft threats, and a number of other durability factors. The Robert’s Rating system, designed by Safe Options Owner Robert Phillips, has also been compared to standards across the industry to provide customers with the most comprehensive evaluation. All in all, the two most significant threats against the safety of stock certificates are fire and burglary. You can have ultimate protection from a fire with a fire chest, which offers peace of mind on the go. Likewise, a dual function fire safe combines the security of a high grade safe with varying degrees of fire resistance.