The bank safe deposit box has been romanticized in action movies and political thrillers. Spies and criminals keep money, passports, and valuables in them until needed.
Well, real life is not like the movies.
There are probably 25 million safe deposit boxes in the United States. Banks rent them out on their own terms. There are no federal laws that govern their use. And banks do not have to compensate you if your box is destroyed or if your valuables are stolen.
The average safe deposit box costs about $20 a month to rent. Do you think your $5,000 necklace, watch, or valuable is safe there? Experience shows that your valuables are anything but safe in a standard safe deposit box.
