Free printable
Safe Deposit Box Contents: Free Printable
By Jason Su · Updated October 9, 2026
A safe deposit box is the one place where the paperwork gets harder, not easier. The contents are not insured, and after someone passes, the family usually cannot open the box and take things out without a court order.
This sheet records three things while they are still easy to answer: what is in the box, who can open it, and where the key and the contract are kept.
Two things people get wrong about a box
The contents are not insured. The FDIC covers deposits, not what you put in a box: “The contents of a safe deposit box are not insured by the FDIC.” Fire or theft cover usually comes from a homeowner’s or renter’s policy (FDIC).
Family cannot simply take things out. In New York, the court order that lets a family open a box is used to see what is inside and list it — such as a will or insurance policies — and the same program cannot be used to remove money or jewelry (New York Courts). Other states differ, so ask your bank what it requires before the day it is needed.
What belongs in a box, and what does not
Worth the space: documents that are slow to replace and nobody needs this week — deeds, titles, birth and marriage certificates, military discharge papers (DD-214), and savings bonds.
Keep out: anything you might need in a hurry — passports, a power of attorney, a health care directive, a spare house key. Think twice about the only copy of a will: searching for one is a reason a court will let a family look inside a box.
The sheet
The box and the keys
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Bank and branch | |
| Box number | |
| Annual rent and renewal date | |
| Who else is named on the rental agreement | |
| Where the rental contract is kept | |
| Spare key kept | |
| Who else knows this box exists |
What is inside
| Item | Rough value | Photographed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Photograph the contents with your phone and keep the photos off-site. The photo is what an insurer asks for, and a list without one is hard to argue with.
Opening it later
| Question to settle now | Answer |
|---|---|
| What the bank requires when the renter has passed | |
| Whether our state requires a court order just to look | |
| Who should be able to open it | |
| Where this sheet is kept |
How to use it
- Fill in the box and key section first. A box nobody knows about is the same as a box that does not exist.
- Photograph the contents on your next visit. Ten minutes now settles an insurance claim years later.
- Ask the bank two questions: what is required to open a box after the renter passes, and what the rental contract says about insurance. Then write down where that contract is kept.
- File this sheet with your other papers, and record its location in the free Document Inventory so one sheet points to the next.
Frequently asked
Should the will go in the box?
It depends on your state, so ask before deciding. A will that cannot be reached costs the family time — see the first-week checklist.
What if the key is lost?
Ask the bank what it charges and how long it takes. Replacing a key is not the same-day service people expect.
Who gets the contents after someone passes?
The same rules as everything else the person owned — see what to do with someone’s belongings. Being named on the rental agreement is not the same as inheriting what is inside.
Next step
On your next visit, fill in the top section and photograph what is inside. Then ask the two questions — minutes now, much harder later.
This is a record sheet, not legal or insurance advice. Rental contracts, state rules, and bank practices differ — confirm details with your bank, and a licensed attorney where a court order is involved.