I took a box out this week for the first time in lower Manhattan. As I was finalizing the deal the dude casually mentioned that the entire room he walked me through was flooded in Sandy and how although they've added precautions, if he was me and heard a big storm was coming would probably come collect his stuff. Gee, that explains why there was no wait to get a box at this particular bank.

Hiding Places...
 

for those of you with 20mins to kill...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw-q5k5TIPA

God only knows how many cards were lost to fire over the decades. Allegedly the only known T206 sheets went in a fire

As I rode by my bank yesterday I made a point to see if it was in danger of a flood. To my relief the bank sits on top of a rise, and my box is abut 3' off the floor.:)

I would find another bank box.

What about insurance?
 

Doesn't anyone carry collectible insurance? Wouldn't that cover any loss? I suppose I'm wondering if I'm wasting my money on that insurance.

Insurance is an absolute necessity, in addition to the other precautions already discussed in this thread.

In fact, I'd probably put things in this order of importance:

1) Private Insurance
2) Safety Deposit Box (above ground level, and not at a bank that has flooded in the past)
3) Quality Home Safe
4) Home Security System
5) Dog, Gun, etc

6) A well hidden spot in your house. :eek:

If someone committed a bank robbery and took my safe deposit box it would have sucked, when I had most of the value of my 1st collection there. Other than that I have never bought insurance for my cards. I have enough insurance payments already.
* That all said, I would do whatever helps you sleep best at night.

.

someone mentioned being worried about a flood at their banks safety deposit box. this is a valid concern.

we put our safety deposit box items in the large 2 or 5 gallon size ziploc type plastic bags. i think they are sold at target and walmart as bags to put clothes in?? or??? i forget exactly. are they water tight? i think so.

a friend lost some important and valuable papers via flood of their banks safety deposit box. they had no protection.

water in banks happens more often then you would think. just because your bank is on a hill doesn't protect you from a broken pipe!! in the building. or a fire that triggers the sprinklers in the buildings.

large plastic zip locks are cheap and easy to use and take up very little space in your box when your items are inside the bag.
good luck