$5,000,000,000...
Almost $5,000,000,000!!
That's the cost (SO FAR) of the private insurance claims filed throughout the state of Florida following Hurricane Irma.
State Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier says there have been nearly 750,000 claims so far. But don't hold your breath... it's expected that both that number and the dollar figure will increase in the weeks ahead.
Altmaier said the state Office of Insurance Regulation hasn’t seen any indications that insurers aren't able to meet claims.
But with Irma, Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and devastating wildfires in California, there may be a trickle-down effect from companies that provide backup insurance to insurers.
Altmaier says his office has been keeping an eye on the financial condition of the private companies that have to pay that money and so far there don't appear to be any problems.