Just curious: What exactly does a libertarian's version of disaster relief look like?

[Lee-Lee]

41. According to the libertarian I know pretty well

He is ok with local fire departments and such, as it seems there are varied levels of libertarians and a lot of them are fine with local governments doing stuff like that.

But he says that it's simple- if you don't buy insurance then you take that gamble and if you lose everything it's your fault for not buying insurance. He seems to think that this will magiclly stop people from being so affected because insurance premiums would be higher in areas likely to flood and people would move away or not build there.

He blames the existence of federally subsidized flood insurance on making flood disasters worse by making it economically viable for people to buy homes in flood areas where they otherwise would not be able to afford them- probably his only valid point to any degree.

Of course when I asked him how those insurance companies could be expected to stay solvent enough with enough reserves without strong federal oversight and regulation he didn't have an answer and just blathered about how private auditing companies could certify them- and when I asked how a private company with no subpoena powers and no legal penalties for being lied to could ever know they were being given accurate info he just shut up.

If you just take their ideas out two or three levels every time you hit the pint where they can't explain how it can work.