Insurers stand to pay out an estimated $6.1 billion in losses stemming from Hurricane Wilma, according to the Insurance Services Office.
The Property Claims Services unit of the Jersey City-based ISO said those losses push the year-to-date catastrophic losses to a record $50.3 billion.
The year's three most devastating hurricanes--Katrina, Wilma and Rita--together account for $45.2 billion, or 90 percent, of the total 2005 catastrophe loss from 22 events, ISO said.
Wilma made landfall near Cape Romano, Fla., on Oct. 24 as a Category 3 storm with peak wind gusts exceeding 120 mph. Homes and businesses on the southeast coast of the state took a heavy pounding and widespread power outages resulted.
Insurers expect 750,000 claims from policyholders for damage to personal and commercial property, automobiles, boats and yachts, a PCS spokesman said.
The most active hurricane season on record, with 13 named storms, officially ends Wednesday.
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