Insurance claims for damage caused by Hurricane Irma in Florida are now reaching upwards of $5 billion. More than 22,000 property owners in Southwest Florida alone have filed claims since the storm blew through about five weeks ago. In all, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation said 747,534 holders of residential and commercial properties statewide had submitted claims to insurers. The office said more than a third of the claims from around the area have been closed, although nearly half were not approved for payment. In Sarasota County, more than 9,200 claims were filed- around 1500 were paid out, more than 1600 were closed without payment. A total of 6,123 claims came from Charlotte County, with 985 paid and 864 closed without payment.
The two counties account for less than 3 percent of all the Florida damage claims filed with insurers.
