# What to do with old insurance records?



## Geezerette (Sep 15, 2022)

Am trying to thin out storage of paper records of all kinds. I’ve had a Medicare adv. plan for quite a few years and they send a few pages, many of them just duplicates of instructions etc, for every single claim they process. The volume is getting out of hand!
Trying to clean storage space of all sorts of records, except the most recent couple of years but would like to get rid of earlier.
Trying to decide whether I need to have the insurance stuff  shredded, just cut out or black out any personal numbers or just put them in with the rest of the trash. 
What do you do with yours? Thanks!


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## RadishRose (Sep 15, 2022)

I tear things up and trash medical statements. I have very little paperwork in my house.


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## Pinky (Sep 15, 2022)

Shred!


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## Nathan (Sep 15, 2022)

As long as there no current personal information, or your social security # just tossing in the trash would probably be safe.

Do you have a fireplace?


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## Knight (Sep 15, 2022)

Only paperwork that we store is the paper work associated with filing federal taxes. And that is only for 3 years.


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## RadishRose (Sep 15, 2022)

Nathan said:


> As long as there no current personal information, or your social security # just tossing in the trash would probably be safe.
> 
> Do you have a fireplace?


I used to have two fireplaces; kitchen and living room. Look how far I've fallen!


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## OneEyedDiva (Sep 15, 2022)

Right now I'm in the process of putting things in large bags to take to the shredder man. If I would keep up with my shredding like I'm supposed to, I wouldn't have to do that. So after we take those bags, I'll be back to trying to keep up with shredding unnecessary papers. For important papers I may need in the future, I scan the documents and upload them to iDrive (not associated with Apple products), my digital storage medium. 

There should be digital copies of the insurance papers they send to you in your insurance account, possibly under Claims. My claim information (doctor and lab visits) on Aetna's website, goes back to January 2021.


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## Nathan (Sep 15, 2022)

I hate to say it:  in light of this conversation, going paperless is sounding more like a good idea...never ever thought I'd say _that_.


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## OneEyedDiva (Sep 15, 2022)

Nathan said:


> I hate to say it:  in light of this conversation, going paperless is sounding more like a good idea...never ever thought I'd say _that_.


Most of the paperwork I get now is from my insurance and RX drug company. It's so tedious managing those things. I called and tried to get them to go paperless with those things but they said certain paperwork had to be mailed out. Uggggh!  Maybe I should try again...maybe things have changed.   I went paperless with everything else.


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## Nathan (Sep 15, 2022)

OneEyedDiva said:


> Most of the paperwork I get now is from my insurance and RX drug company. It's so tedious managing those things. I called and tried to get them to go paperless with those things but they said certain paperwork had to be mailed out. Uggggh!  Maybe I should try again...maybe things have changed.   I went paperless with everything else.


...maybe due to legal requirements to notify/inform in writing?


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## C50 (Sep 15, 2022)

Anything with my name or personal info gets shredded,  other paper goes into the trash or if I'm burning I'll toss it in the fire.

I would be almost paperless except for all the coupons and promotional garbage I get, wish I could get that stopped.


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## RadishRose (Sep 15, 2022)

C50 said:


> Anything with my name or personal info gets shredded,  other paper goes into the trash or if I'm burning I'll toss it in the fire.
> 
> I would be almost paperless except for all the coupons and promotional garbage I get, wish I could get that stopped.


Where I live, that flyer/coupon/circular junk is sent out by the major newspaper. I called them and had it stopped.

Maybe you can do that, too.


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## dseag2 (Sep 15, 2022)

Knight said:


> Only paperwork that we store is the paper work associated with filing federal taxes. And that is only for 3 years.


Aren't you supposed to keep 7 years worth of back taxes?  Just asking because that was what I was always told.


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## dseag2 (Sep 15, 2022)

I'm actually taking lots of old paperwork to Office Depot for shredding.  My little home office shredder won't handle it all.


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## Nathan (Sep 15, 2022)

dseag2 said:


> Aren't you supposed to keep 7 years worth of back taxes?  Just asking because that was what I was always told.


3 years is my understanding, but I am currently keeping tax returns back further, to document my rental business.


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## dseag2 (Sep 15, 2022)

Nathan said:


> 3 years is my understanding, but I am currently keeping tax returns back further, to document my rental business.


Yes, I did a Google search and saw that it is 3 years.  Heading back to Office Depot!


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## HarryHawk (Sep 17, 2022)

Just shredded 4 bags full of old medical and tax stuff.  Felt great, don't know why I kept that stuff for so long.


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## Jace (Sep 17, 2022)

If you didn't want to shred...but 
get rid of pertinent information...

I bought a _black out ink roller thru eBay..but, you could probably get @ Office Depot _

For name, address policy no.
then just put in garbage bag for trash pickup.


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## bowmore (Sep 17, 2022)

Knight said:


> Only paperwork that we store is the paper work associated with filing federal taxes. And that is only for 3 years.


For safety sake, I keep them for 7


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## Gary O' (Sep 17, 2022)

I have two file drawers crammed with docs, mocking me.
I just don't really care to sort thru it all

The pile did come in handy when there was a bit of a legal issue with one of my properties
My docs from 1999 thru 2015 came in quite handy
Saved me around $2500 in attorney fees

My lady's med history, I'll keep
Along with 3 yrs taxes and several year's vehicle history

The rest.... shred city...maybe


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## Lawrence (Sep 18, 2022)

My wife likes to shred old insurance records, I like to crumple them up page by page then put them in the fireplace and set them on fire. I also try being cautious so not have burning paper go flying out of the chimney on the top of our house. Ha-ha-ha ----- Actually not so funny for it really does happen.


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## Butterfly (Sep 18, 2022)

RadishRose said:


> I tear things up and trash medical statements. I have very little paperwork in my house.


I do the same thing.   I HATE piles of paper.


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## Alligatorob (Sep 18, 2022)

Geezerette said:


> old insurance records


Don't really have any.  Most of mine don't make it past the garbage can located between the mailbox and the house.


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## Kika (Sep 18, 2022)

I bought a shredder many years ago.  To keep from overloading the shredder, I just tear sensitive info off of any paperwork.  In recent years I signed up for electronic EVERYTHING.  The paper was really getting out of hand. Especially Medicare & Supplement claims info.  Every mail from them were in envelopes containing 5-6 pages.   Now I have the feeling that it is manageable.


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## Colleen (Sep 18, 2022)

About twice a year (or so), I go through the paperwork that's accumulated and give it all to hubby to shred. He likes doing it ,so....

When we moved from AZ to PA in Feb., I went through all paperwork and he shredded a lot so we didn't have to take more unnecessary stuff than we needed to.


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## Chet (Sep 18, 2022)

I go through my file cabinet every year or so to purge old documents. I made an incinerator of sorts from and old grill with screening to contain the floating embers. Then I spread the ashes in the grass and eventually mow the lawn and see the dust fly. Let somebody read those documents now!!!


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## Geezerette (Sep 19, 2022)

I’m well under way now, and finding it’s working best right now to tear off the sensitive parts or allocate certain pages for shredding and get the rest ready to trash. Blacking out a few things with permanent marker too as I go along.
My  hardest files , saving the worst for last, are every scrap & sheet of paper having anything from my apt mgt or lease, and the medical stuff . Really great that the HIPPA and other laws requiring giving patients info are there, but it it sure does generate paper! 
Thanks to all for sharing your ideas and methods


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