Certificate of Document Destruction in Garden City, NY
In our litigious climate, secure document destruction may not be sufficient to protect yourself and your company from liability and potential lawsuits. A Certificate of Document Destruction, also known as a Certificate of Destruction or a Data Destruction Certificate, is a legal document that a company can present during an audit or case, proving the record in question has been destroyed. It covers actual paper, CD-ROM, hard drive, or other digital media records.
Ensure that an information management company’s Certificate of Destruction fulfills the necessary compliance standards that you require before you engage their services.
Certificate of Destruction Requirements
A Certificate of Document Destruction should include/cite the following -
Some companies are bound by industry-specific regulations regarding records destruction due to increased concerns over privacy rights, identity theft, and fraud.
Medical, financial, and automotive companies all fall into those industries.
Industries Which Require a Certificate of Destruction
For companies in the medical industry, a data Certificate of Document Destruction is vital for proving compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations. The 1996 federal directive governs personal medical information privacy, and failure to observe it can result in severe penalties, so a Certificate of Document Destruction is indispensable when the need to prove fulfillment arises. The specialists at Storage Quarters who handle medical records are all trained in HIPAA-compliant practices. The American Health Information Management Association website is a great place to go for additional resources.
The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) website outlines rules regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, and credit reports. Companies that provide or receive consumer data from credit reporting agencies are subject to other, separate regulations, which are extensively outlined on the federal government’s website .
Within the automotive industry, a Certificate of Destruction is essential when a car is deemed unusable or unsellable. Car insurance companies will process the vehicle title as a Certificate of Destruction after they have assumed ownership of the vehicle, usually following an accident. Cars that have Certificate of Destruction titles might look like they are in good condition, but a serious safety hazard has been determined, and the CoD can help facilitate junk sales.
Protect Yourself with a Certificate of Document Destruction
When to Obtain a Certificate of Destruction
A Certificate of Document Destruction is essential for certain materials, including medical records. Even if not legally required, the document will offer legal protection in the event of a lawsuit, discovery motion, etc. It can also protect your business from threats presented by online hacking attacks, identity theft, information breaches, lawsuits, etc. Since it is such an important part of a company’s legal shield, it should always be obtained from a shredding service.
A Certificate of Destruction should always be obtained when disposing of documents including:
∙ Employment applications
∙ Financial statements
∙ Medical records
∙ Tax records
∙ Employment records
∙ Expired contracts and agreements
∙ Credit records and applications
Secure Document Destruction from Storage Quarters
For secure records destruction needs, call and speak with our information management experts. After all shredding services are complete, whether drop-off or via mobile shredding, you will receive a Certificate of Destruction. For over 35 years, Storage Quarters has provided secure, efficient document storage and destruction services to the New York City Metro area and Long Island. In addition to paper/records destruction, we offer a full range of document management services, including scanning , office digitization , and storage . To get started, contact Storage Quarters today by emailing us or calling (516) 794-7300 .