The Safe-Deposit Box Goes Online

Say somebody steals your wallet while you're traveling. Wouldn't it be convenient to recover copies of crucial credit card information and other documents from any computer, anywhere?

How about accessing a record of your will, trust documents, medical or tax records -- even family photos, favorite songs and the video of your daughter's first dance recital -- in the event of a house fire or other disaster?

Starting this summer, Wells Fargo customers can lock away copies of such treasures in the vSafe, a virtual safe-deposit box. A virtual copy isn't a legal document, but it sure can help reconstitute one that's lost or destroyed.

The vSafe will be rolled out nationwide by year-end. Prices range from $4.95 a month for a 1-gigabyte safe to $14.95 a month for 6GB of storage -- enough for 60,000 documents or 3,900 digital photographs.

If you're happy with your current bank, said Bob Meara, an analyst with Celent, there's probably no need to switch. He said he expects online vaults to catch on at other banks soon.