Getting Started with Contingency Zero
Contingency Zero is a mobile app that helps you organize, encrypt, and securely share your most important documents and information with the people who matter most. It works by letting you create a digital estate plan — called a "Plan" — where you store critical information such as insurance policies, property titles, financial account details, healthcare directives, passwords, and final wishes inside organized digital binders. You can then designate trusted contacts who receive secure access to your Plan, so your loved ones aren't left scrambling if something unexpected happens.
The app is built on a zero-knowledge encryption architecture, which means only you and your designated trusted contacts can read your Plan — not even Contingency Zero's own staff can see it. Once your Plan is set up, you can update it anytime, and the app sends periodic reminders so your information stays current.
Download Contingency Zero for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Create an account, and the guided setup will walk you through organizing your information into digital binders — categories like autos, pets, bank accounts, real estate, mobile devices, and more. During registration, you will also generate a recovery QR code, which you should store in a safe place — this is essential for account recovery if you ever lose your device.
Contingency Zero is designed for anyone who wants to ensure their loved ones can access critical information in an emergency or after an unexpected event. The app is especially valuable for:
- First responders and military personnel who face elevated occupational risks.
- Frequent travelers who may be far from home when emergencies arise.
- Extreme sports enthusiasts who regularly engage in high-risk activities.
- Families with children who want to protect their household's future.
- People living in natural disaster zones (hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, floods).
- Elderly users who want to ensure their affairs are accessible and organized — the interface is designed to be intuitive and tablet-friendly.
- Anyone actively engaged in estate planning who needs a secure, always-accessible digital companion to their legal documents.
Organizing Your Documents and Plans
Contingency Zero lets you store a wide range of critical documents and information inside customizable digital binders. Common examples include:
- Insurance policies (home, auto, health, life)
- Property titles and deeds
- Vehicle registrations and titles
- Financial account details (bank accounts, investment accounts, retirement accounts)
- Healthcare directives and powers of attorney
- Wills and trust references
- Passwords and login credentials
- Contact lists and notification instructions
- Pet care information
- Points, rewards, and loyalty program details
- Final wishes and funeral preferences
Each binder has a name, description, and a fixed binder type, so you can create multiple binders of the same type — for example, one auto binder for "My Texas Cars" and another for "My Florida Cars." You can also set a custom icon for each binder.
Contingency Zero regularly adds new binder types to meet evolving planning needs.
The most effective approach is to group your documents by category — financial, legal, medical, property, digital accounts — so your family can quickly find what they need during a stressful time. Contingency Zero's digital binder system is built for exactly this purpose, mimicking a well-organized filing cabinet but with the added benefits of encryption, cloud access, and secure sharing.[1]
Start with the most urgent categories: insurance policies, financial accounts, and healthcare directives. Then expand into property records, vehicle information, digital accounts, and personal wishes. The app's guided setup helps you work through these categories step by step.
For a deeper walkthrough, see the blog post "When the House Goes Quiet: How Families Can Protect Their Loved Ones Before the Unexpected" on the Contingency Zero blog.
Contingency Zero includes a built-in, immutable version control system. Every time you update your Plan, the previous version is preserved. Both you and your trusted contacts can view your estate plan at any point in its history, track changes over time, and monitor how assets and information have been distributed or updated.
This feature is designed for accountability and fraud prevention — it ensures that no changes to your Plan can be silently erased or altered. Version 1.7 of the app further enhanced this by adding full Plan restore to any point in the history.
Sharing with Trusted Contacts
Trusted contacts are the people you designate to receive access to your Plan through Contingency Zero. These could be a spouse, adult children, a sibling, an executor, a financial advisor, or anyone you trust with your critical information.
When you share your Plan, you can choose to share your complete Plan or only selected binders. You also choose each trusted contact's level of access:
- Read Only — They can view shared binders but cannot make changes.
- Full Access — They can add, edit, and delete binders and binder entries.
You can also enable automatic sharing, so newly added binders are shared with your trusted contacts without extra steps. When you designate someone as a trusted contact, you are providing them access to your Plan and its full version history, so only add people you are comfortable sharing all included information with.
Yes. Only the Plan owner needs a paid subscription to enable sharing. Trusted contacts can download Contingency Zero for free, create their own account, and access any Plans shared with them at no cost. If a trusted contact doesn't already have an account, the app generates an invitation email prompting them to install the app and create one.
If your subscription lapses, is paused, or is canceled, Plan sharing is disabled immediately — trusted contacts will not be able to access your Plan. However, your Plan materials are retained for at least three months, allowing you to re-subscribe and seamlessly restore sharing without needing to re-share your Plan. If you close your account entirely, your Plan materials may no longer be available, so always keep backup copies of your information before closing an account.
Security and Privacy
Zero-knowledge encryption means that your data is encrypted on your device before it ever reaches Contingency Zero's servers, and only you (and the trusted contacts you designate) hold the keys to decrypt it. Contingency Zero cannot read, access, or view the contents of your Plan — the system is designed so that even the company's own staff have no ability to see your private information.
This is a fundamentally stronger privacy guarantee than standard server-side encryption used by many digital vault competitors, where the provider technically holds the keys and could access your data. Contingency Zero's zero-knowledge architecture is patent pending.
No. Because of the zero-knowledge encryption design, Contingency Zero stores your Plan materials in an encrypted format that prevents the company from reading or accessing them. This applies to all documents, text, and information within your Plan. Even in the event of a data breach on Contingency Zero's servers, your Plan contents would remain unreadable without your encryption keys.
No. Contingency Zero explicitly commits to never training AI on user data and never sharing your Plan data with third parties. This is a key differentiator — as AI-powered tools become more common in the estate planning space, Contingency Zero's stance provides assurance that your sensitive personal, financial, and legal information will not be used to train any machine learning models.
Yes, your Plan is stored in encrypted form in the cloud so that it can be accessed from your devices and by your trusted contacts. Because of the zero-knowledge architecture, the data stored on the servers is encrypted and unreadable by anyone other than you and your trusted contacts. Contingency Zero is provided by Nulia.US Corp., a Wyoming corporation, and the service is governed by the laws of Washington State.
Many digital vault and estate planning platforms use standard encryption (such as AES-256 or SSL/TLS) and multi-factor authentication, which are good baseline protections. However, with standard encryption the provider typically holds the encryption keys and could, in theory, access your data.
Contingency Zero goes further with its patent-pending zero-knowledge architecture, ensuring that not even the company can access your Plan. Combined with the explicit no-AI-training commitment and the immutable version history for accountability, Contingency Zero offers a security and privacy model designed specifically for the sensitivity of estate planning and emergency preparedness documents.
Feature | Contingency Zero | Typical Digital Vault Competitors |
Zero-knowledge encryption | Yes (patent pending) | Rare — most use standard server-side encryption |
Immutable version history | Yes | Limited or not available |
No AI training on user data | Explicit commitment | Varies; often not addressed |
Trusted contact access at no extra cost | Yes | Often requires paid plans for all users |
Binder-based organization | Yes | Section- or folder-based |
Estate Planning and Emergency Preparedness Basics
Contingency Zero is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or create legal documents such as wills or trusts. An estate planning attorney drafts legally binding instruments — wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives — tailored to your specific legal and financial situation.
Contingency Zero complements that work by giving you a secure, encrypted digital home for those documents and all the other critical information your loved ones would need in an emergency. Think of it this way: your attorney creates the plan, and Contingency Zero makes sure the right people can actually find and access it when it matters most. The app may also provide referrals to estate planning attorneys, financial advisors, or accountants if you need professional guidance.
If you need legal advice about your estate plan, consult a licensed attorney in your area.
No. Contingency Zero is a technology platform for securely storing and sharing estate planning documents and information. It does not create legal documents, offer legal opinions, or serve as a substitute for professional legal counsel. Any content within the app or on the Contingency Zero website is for informational purposes only. For legal matters, always consult a licensed attorney.
No. Contingency Zero is designed to store, organize, and share the documents and information that make up your estate plan — it does not replace any legal instruments like a will, trust, power of attorney, or healthcare directive. Those documents must be created through proper legal channels, ideally with the assistance of a qualified attorney. Contingency Zero ensures that once those documents exist, they are securely stored, up to date, and accessible to the people who need them.
Emergency preparedness experts — including FEMA and the American Red Cross — recommend keeping the following documents organized and accessible:
- Wills, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks, and bonds
- Passports, social security cards, and immunization records
- Bank and credit card account numbers
- An inventory of valuable household goods
- Important contact numbers (physicians, family, employers, insurance agents)
- Medical device information (pacemaker serial numbers, prescriptions)
- Family records (birth, marriage, and death certificates)
Contingency Zero's digital binder system is designed to store all of these categories securely in one place, with encrypted cloud access so your information is available even if physical copies are destroyed in a disaster.
When an emergency strikes — a natural disaster, a sudden medical event, an accident — families often face the overwhelming task of locating critical documents and information under extreme stress. Contingency Zero addresses this by ensuring your trusted contacts already have secure access to your organized Plan before the emergency happens.
Your family can instantly access insurance details, financial account information, medical directives, contact lists, and any other information you've stored — from any device, anywhere — without needing to search through filing cabinets, shoeboxes, or scattered digital files. The zero-knowledge encryption ensures this access is secure, and the immutable version history guarantees a reliable record of your Plan as it existed at any point in time.
For more on this topic, see the blog post "When the Storm Hits: Before Disaster Strikes" on the Contingency Zero blog.
If you live in a hurricane, wildfire, earthquake, or flood zone, physical documents are vulnerable to destruction. Contingency Zero stores your critical information in the encrypted cloud, so even if your home is damaged or destroyed, your Plan is safe and accessible. You can share your Plan with trusted contacts in advance, so they have immediate access to insurance policies, property records, financial accounts, and emergency contacts — exactly the information needed to begin recovery.
The app's periodic reminders help you keep everything up to date as policies renew, accounts change, or family circumstances shift. This proactive approach means you're not scrambling to gather information in the critical hours before an evacuation or after a disaster.
For a deeper look at disaster preparedness with Contingency Zero, see the blog post "When the Storm Hits: Before Disaster Strikes" on the Contingency Zero blog.
If your work or lifestyle involves elevated risk — whether you're a firefighter, a military service member, a construction worker, a frequent flyer, or an extreme sports enthusiast — ensuring your family has access to your critical information is especially important. Contingency Zero lets you set up your Plan before you deploy, travel, or head out on an expedition, and your trusted contacts can access it from anywhere if something goes wrong.
Because the app is mobile and cloud-based, you can update your Plan on the go — adding a new insurance policy before a trip, updating beneficiary information before a deployment, or reorganizing binders after a major life event. The subscription model means only you pay; your family members access your shared Plan for free.
The Contingency Zero blog features targeted guides for specific audiences, including "Wheels Up, Plan Set: Why Frequent Travelers Need to Prepare Before They Depart," "When the Siren Falls Silent: How First Responders Can Protect Their Families Before the Next Call," and "Beyond the Edge: How Extreme Sports Enthusiasts Can Prepare for the Unthinkable."
How Contingency Zero Compares
The digital estate planning market includes platforms like Everplans, Trust & Will, GoodTrust, Clocr, and others. While many of these tools offer document storage and some form of sharing, Contingency Zero is differentiated in several key ways:
- Zero-knowledge encryption (patent pending): Most competitors use standard server-side encryption, meaning the provider could technically access your data. Contingency Zero's architecture ensures nobody but you and your trusted contacts can read your Plan — not even the company.
- Immutable version history: Contingency Zero preserves every version of your Plan, allowing you and your trusted contacts to view or restore your Plan to any point in its history. This level of version control and accountability is uncommon among competitors.
- No AI training on user data: Contingency Zero explicitly commits to never using your data to train AI models. Many competitors do not make this guarantee.
- Free access for trusted contacts: Only the Plan owner needs a subscription; all trusted contacts access shared Plans for free. Some competitors require all users to have paid accounts.
- Dual focus on estate planning and emergency preparedness: While many competitors focus narrowly on end-of-life planning or will creation, Contingency Zero is designed equally for everyday emergencies — natural disasters, travel incidents, workplace accidents — making it a year-round tool, not just a "someday" plan.
Binder-based organization: The app's binder system provides a flexible, intuitive way to categorize and manage different types of assets and documents.
No. While both use cloud infrastructure, Contingency Zero is purpose-built for estate planning and emergency preparedness. General cloud storage platforms are designed for file storage and sharing — they don't offer zero-knowledge encryption, immutable version history, structured binder organization, trusted contact designations with permission controls, or periodic reminders to update your plan. Contingency Zero's entire architecture is designed around the specific needs of protecting and sharing critical life documents securely.
Subscriptions, Pricing, and Platforms
Contingency Zero is free to download and use for personal planning. You can create your account, set up your Plan, add as many binders and documents as you need, and organize your entire estate — all at no cost.
A paid subscription is required only when you want to share your Plan with trusted contacts. Subscription options include:
Plan | Price |
Monthly | $9.99/month |
3 Months | $19.99 |
6 Months | $29.99 |
12 Months | $39.99/year |
All individual subscriptions include one month free. Subscriptions are managed through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and automatically renew unless canceled before the end of the current term. Contingency Zero also offers a Workplace Benefit Subscription for businesses that want to provide the app as an employee benefit.
Contingency Zero is available on both iOS and Android:
- iOS: Requires iOS 15.5.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
- Android: Available on the Google Play Store.
The app is designed with an intuitive, tablet-friendly interface to ensure accessibility for users of all ages and technical comfort levels.
Support, Account Recovery, and Limitations
If you lose your mobile device, you can recover your Plan by logging into Contingency Zero on a new device and scanning your recovery QR code. This is why it's critical to store your recovery QR code in a separate, secure location — such as a printed copy in a safe, or saved on a separate trusted device.
If you lose access to both your phone and your recovery QR code, Contingency Zero will be unable to recover your Plan. Because of the zero-knowledge architecture, the company does not have the ability to decrypt or access your Plan data, so customer support cannot assist with recovery in this scenario. You would need to start over with a new Plan.
To avoid this situation, Contingency Zero strongly recommends keeping your recovery QR code stored securely in a separate location. You can also generate a new QR code through the app at any time (which invalidates the previous one) if you need to update where it's stored. Keeping a record of the materials and information in your Plan outside the app is also a good practice.
Contingency Zero provides human customer support — no chatbots. The support team responds to all inquiries within two business days. The preferred method is to submit a support ticket through the app, which provides the team with helpful diagnostic information. You can also open a support ticket through the Contingency Zero website.
For general questions, the team is available via the contact page at contingencyzero.com.
The Contingency Zero service is currently intended solely for users who are located in the United States. By creating an account, you represent that you are at least 18 years of age and reside in the United States.
Contingency Zero is a powerful tool for organizing, encrypting, and sharing your estate planning information, but it has defined boundaries:
- Not a law firm: It does not provide legal advice or create legal documents.
- Not a will or trust creator: You need an attorney or a dedicated document preparation service for legally binding estate instruments.
- Recovery depends on your QR code: If you lose both your device and your QR code, your Plan cannot be recovered.
- S. only: The service is currently available to U.S. residents.
- Sharing requires a subscription: While organizing your Plan is free, sharing it with trusted contacts requires a paid plan.
Contingency Zero regularly publishes tips and guidance on its blog about organizing documents, preparing your family for emergencies, and making the most of the app's features. Visit the Contingency Zero blog at contingencyzero.com/blog for the latest articles and walkthroughs.