Jim,
We preppers get labeled all sorts of things from mildly eccentric to paranoid, and so I ask, is it so imbalanced to want insurance?
Clearly most people have health insurance (if they can afford it) car insurance (mandatory), home insurance and life insurance so why stop there? When friends ask about my lifestyle, this is my argument.
1) Why do you have firearms?
Police insurance. If the police can’t come in time, (can they ever?) or are overwhelmed (Los Angeles riots anyone?) or just go home (Hurricane Katrina?) then you may need need firearms.
2) Why do you have stored food?
Eating insurance. Just in time (JIT) delivery systems, monocrop susceptibility to plant diseases, lack of any food stored at the national level.
3) Why do you have stored gasoline/diesel?
Transportation insurance. If you live in the country or suburbs walking everywhere is probably not realistic, or want to bug out of a city.
4) Why do you have a ham radio and portable transceivers?
Communications insurance. Storms, blackouts etc. No monthly charges like cell phones and easier than smoke signals.
5) Why do you have generators and stored fuel for them?
Electrical insurance. This way the frozen food I have stays cool for a few days etc.
6) Why do you have stored water?
Cooking, drinking and washing insurance.
7) Why do you have precious metals?
Fiat Currency insurance. In case some bureaucrat decides to print up so much money that we go into hyperinflation.
Even the adage, “one is none and two are one” is not ignored by the masses. Ask someone who relies on their eyeglasses to see if they only have one pair. How many people have two cars when they could really get by with one.
It is only the wandering barefoot ascetic with a loincloth and begging bowl as his only possessions who makes no preparations. It is human nature to prep, the only question is to what degree. – SF in Hawaii