Which documents belong in the emergency folder?
An emergency folder does not collect the documents themselves; above all it records which ones exist and where they are kept. The original and any certified copy stay where they are safe — the folder is the map to them. The list below is deliberately generous: much of it will not apply to you, and "not applicable" is a perfectly valid answer. It ends the search just as well as a location does.
Don't work through the list in one go. Pick one section, enter what comes to mind without searching, and leave the rest open. You can fill the gaps any time.
Personal certificates
These are what authorities, banks and probate courts ask for most often:
- ID card and passport
- birth certificate, and where relevant marriage certificate and family record book
- if applicable: divorce decree, death certificates of relatives (e.g. a partner)
- proof of citizenship or naturalisation
Advance-care and legal documents
Here the location matters, and so does whether an original and a copy exist and who knows about them:
- durable power of attorney (Vorsorgevollmacht)
- advance healthcare directive (Patientenverfügung)
- care directive (Betreuungsverfügung)
- will or contract of inheritance (the original ideally belongs in official custody)
- for minor children: a directive on custody
What these documents govern is explained in the article Durable power of attorney and advance directive and by the official bodies at the end.
Health
- health insurance card and insurance number
- medication plan, important allergies and intolerances
- treating doctors
- organ donor card, vaccination record
Finances and insurance
An overview is enough — no bank statements, no balances:
- bank details and ongoing contracts (housing, energy, mobile, subscriptions)
- insurance, especially policies that pay out on death (life, funeral, accident cover)
- ongoing loans or instalment plans
- contacts such as tax advisor, property management or bank
Housing, property and vehicles
- tenancy agreement or land-registry extract, utility statements
- vehicle papers (registration, purchase contract)
- contracts that keep running and must be cancelled or taken over
Digital life
Note where access is managed — the main email address, the password manager, the Apple ID or the Google account. That gives your loved ones the thread without you revealing any sensitive data.
What does NOT belong in it
Clearly and without exception:
- passwords, PINs, TANs, recovery codes
- account balances or card numbers in plain text
An emergency folder records the place things are kept, never the credentials themselves. That way, if it is ever found or copied, no harm is done.
Keeping the list useful
For the important entries, note whether it is an original or a copy, and review the folder roughly every 6 to 12 months — after a move, marriage, a new account or a change of contract, a quick look pays off.
Official sources
- Bundesministerium der Justiz (Federal Ministry of Justice) — brochures on advance-care and legal documents
- Verbraucherzentrale (consumer advice centre) — orientation on insurance, contracts and estates
- Zentrales Vorsorgeregister (ZVR) of the Bundesnotarkammer — registration of durable powers of attorney
Parata guides you through exactly these sections — chapter by chapter, with the right term in the right place, and at the end it records what exists and where it is kept.
This article explains things in general terms and is no substitute for legal advice.