Like many Americans, when Will Seippel started to think about where he might want to live for retirement, Florida was at the top of his list. In 2021 Seippel, the founder of WorthPoint, the world's largest provider of information about art, antiques and collectibles, bought a house in Cape Coral, Florida. When Hurricane Ian reached Florida on September 28, his new house was left standing — but waterlogged.
"We hadn't had a hurricane down there of any severity for 100 years," says Seippel. "And lo and behold, the second hurricane season I'm down there, a hurricane comes, and the storm's center is where I live. We had eight and a half hours of 100 mph-plus wind."
The house remained intact, but wind and water saturated the walls, causing mold. The resulting damage will require the home to be gutted and rebuilt.
Seippel isn't alone. According to FEMA, 40% of Americans live in a disaster zone or state. Add to this the fact that 80% of Americans file insurance claims caused by weather, to the tune of $152 billion a year.
As for the possessions in the house, Seippel says it's ironic that he owns a company with a database "vault" that allows users to capture the items they own with images and text as evidence for insurance.
"There are a few ways to lose your stuff in a natural disaster. They can be stolen, they can be washed out with the storm, or they can have water damage. If the water damage is not taken care of, mold can set in," says Seippel.
Seippel has hundreds of collectibles, art and other possessions that were damaged in the storm. "I'm glad I had a photo of them and description in the vault, as concrete evidence for the insurance," says Seippel.
Seippel offers his steps for preparing your house and the stuff in it in case disaster strikes.
According to Seippel, the steps include:
Step One: Do a walkthrough and create an inventory. Inventory your possessions by going through every closet, drawer, shed and garage. List each item, including clothing, accessories, electronics, appliances, furniture, decorations, linens, artwork, hobby items, collectibles and heirlooms.
Step Two: Take photos and add notes. Once your list is made, go back over the items, take a picture of each article or group of objects, and any relevant notes, including make, model, serial number and dollar value if you know it. List the store and year purchased.
Step Three: Gather your documents. For larger purchases such as furniture, appliances, jewelry, art and collectibles, scan the documents and save them to a specific folder on your computer.
Step Four: Record a video. Go through and take a video of everything as further proof of your ownership and its condition.
Step Five: Compare your list to your current insurance policy and work with your agent to make sure you have the type of insurance and enough coverage for what you own in the event of a disaster.
Step Six: Update your inventory. As you acquire new possessions, be sure to update your inventory record.
About Will Seippel
Will Seippel is the CEO and founder of WorthPoint, the world’s largest provider of information about art, antiques and collectibles. Consistently in the top 1,000 most visited websites in the US, WorthPoint receives more than 300,000 visits a day.
An Inc. 500 company, WorthPoint is utilized by individuals and organizations seeking credible valuations on everything from cameras to coins. WorthPoint counts among their clients the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity and the IRS.
Prior to founding WorthPoint, Seippel held a wide variety of C-suite positions, including: CTO and CFO of Miva.com, CFO Air Gate/Sprint and Director of Financial Planning for Covia Partnerships/United Airlines. As a result, he has worked across the globe from Serbia to Spain.
From the time he was 15, digging up relics at the Bull Run Battlefield in Virginia and selling them to collectors, he has been passionate about history and how the everyday items in people’s homes have value — both in memories and money.
Seippel holds a BS in Economics and Accounting from George Mason University and was a participant in the Technology Incubator Program at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has received numerous awards, including the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award from George Mason University, the Wall Street Deal of the Year award for issuing the first bond denominated in Euros and the Navy League’s highest civilian award.
Combining his background as a technologist, economist, collectables expert and dealer, Seippel has turned his attention to the Internet of Things. He is a frequent expert guest of the media on valuations and authentications and has been featured on NBC, Fox Business and Forbes.
When not busy educating the public about their stuff, he is a supporter of several nonprofits, including the Make a Wish Foundation, Gary’s House and the Navy League in Atlanta.
In his spare time, he creates textile art and finds treasures. His most recent find was from the Long Beach Flea Market, where he came across a bounty of treasure colonial ledgers from 18th century New Jersey.
Learn more at www.worthpoint.com.
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