US government natural disaster assistance: Historical analysis and a proposal for the future

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

Governments often provide grants or low-interest loans to disaster victims. Yet these programmes have proven to be quite costly. In addition, questions have been raised about associated behavioural incentives. Conceptually, government disaster insurance programmes should be more efficient, consistent and equitable than ex post facto disaster relief in the form of grants and loans. Yet the performance of government disaster insurance programmes has been mixed, at best. This article reviews the history of US federal natural disaster assistance to individuals and concludes with a recommendation for a new government role in the provision of disaster insurance.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)139-155
Number of pages17
JournalDisasters
Volume23
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1999

Keywords

  • Disaster relief
  • Disaster theory
  • Insurance
  • USA

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Sciences (all)
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences (all)

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