Bank locker or DigiLocker: Which option is safer for your valuable documents?

Digital Locker vs Bank Locker: Gone are the days when people considered a locker solely a heavy iron cupboard and a brass key. Today, our most important documents, like Aadhaar, PAN card, and insurance policies, reside in PDF form on our phones rather than on paper. Consequently, the meaning of security has also changed. Now, the question is not just about theft, but about finding the right document at the right time. So, where is it safer to keep your important documents: a digital locker or a bank locker? Let's find out.

Will a digital locker protect your documents from loss?

The biggest advantage of a digital locker like DigiLocker is that there's no fear of losing your documents. Documents often get lost during fire, floods, or house changes, but they're always safe in a digital locker. The best part is that the government documents stored in it have the same legal validity as the original. This means you no longer need to carry photocopies everywhere for KYC or visa purposes.

Is a bank locker still necessary?

Definitely, despite the digital age, the importance of a bank locker hasn't diminished. Property deeds, wills, and notarized agreements are still required on paper. A scanned copy isn't enough for these things. The biggest advantage of a bank locker is that it can't be hacked. The threat here isn't the internet, but the laborious task of keeping the keys and making frequent trips to the bank.

What's the biggest risk?

The biggest problem with a digital locker is forgetting your password or changing your old mobile number. If you haven't updated your information, accessing it can be a hassle. Meanwhile, the problem with bank lockers is that if they're not used for years, families often discover years later that their elders also had a locker, and opening it becomes a legal issue due to a lack of information.

What's the right approach?

It's wise to use both. Keep original documents that can't be reproduced in the bank's safe. But save items that are used daily in DigiLocker. Make a short list and let a trusted member know where each document is kept.