Insurance is part of the cost of owning a house. Either you can afford a house (including insurance, taxes and upkeep) or you can't.

Do you own a car? Do you have insurance on the car? Auto insurance is expensive but you can't be without it for two reasons: (1) it's required by law, (2) you couldn't afford to replace your car if it were totalled in an accident.

Why should it be the government's responsibility to fix up your car (or your house) if it's totalled when you had the option of buying insurance against the risk. Sure it's expensive, but if you choose to live in an earthquake-prone area, then you should have to pay for it. Why should taxpayers all over the country have to foot the bill for earthquake-damaged homes when the Big One hits, just because homeowners choose to spend their money on something else instead of insurance? And that should go for those in tornado-, flood- or hurricane-prone areas also.

Where is it written in our Constitution that benevolence is one of the purposes of our government?

Barbara