Hurricane Bertha and the Bank

Hurricane Bertha is the first hurricane of the season. We don't know if it will do any damage, but it's a nice reminder to consider your disaster recovery plans. Of course, life and health are the most important things to protect. Once you've got a plan in place, you can also help to reduce some financial headaches that might come up if your bank is destroyed.

After Hurricane Katrina, some people were unable to get money or financial records (temporarily). The best way to avoid such a situation is to prepare. If you have accounts in multiple locations -- with online access to each account -- you reduce the chances of a major inconvenience.

If you only use a small bank or credit union, make sure you're comfortable with their disaster recovery plan. If the branch is closed, will you be able to get cash from the ATM and pay bills online? Most institutions, including the smallest ones, have websites that are backed-up and run from a remote location.

Have you had a bad experience with a bank closing due to natural disaster? Tell us about it in the comments.

Further reading:

• What to Do if Your Bank is Destroyed