(MONEY Magazine) – Like the families in your February special report on disasters, I had no idea that a home has such emotional value until we experienced the trauma of losing ours in a fire. Literally overnight, all the simple things we take for granted -- our clothes, possessions, photographs, the children's school papers -- were gone. I urge everyone to accept the advice we had always heard but never heeded: inventory and/or videotape the contents of your home and store this documentation in a safe location, so that you do not have to attempt such a reconstruction in the emotional aftermath of a disaster. Everyone should also have at least one working smoke detector and fire extinguisher as well as an emergency escape plan. I've wondered more than once what the outcome of our own disaster might have been had the fire occurred at 2 a.m. rather than 2 p.m., when no one was at home. I know -- you're thinking it can't happen to you. That's exactly what I thought before it happened to me. John W. McBaine Flushing, Mich.

Anyone who lives in a natural disaster area would benefit from establishing as much readily available credit as possible. Our 130-year-old home took on 42 inches of floodwater from Hurricane Hugo last September. Because of a pre- existing home-equity line of credit, we were able to start repairs long before the insurance money began to trickle in. After recovering from the initial shock of a natural disaster, one must ask: ''Now that it has happened, how can I restore things to normal?'' Having the funds in place is a distinct advantage. Mitchell and Patricia Hollon Charleston, S.C.

In your report you praised California's state disability insurance as ''inexpensive'' and cited the cost as $260 a year for self-employed people. Since then, the rate has jumped to $578 a year -- an increase of 120%. I strongly urge other self-employed Californians to do what I've done: research disability policies from private insurers. Superior coverage -- at the same rate or lower -- is available. Ann Margulies Palo Alto