Food Storage: Insurance you can Eat

We use insurance to hedge against risk of loss in many aspects of our lives. We buy health insurance in case of injury or illness. We buy auto insurance in case of an accident. We buy life insurance to ensure our loved ones are provided for should we pass away. We can even buy homeowner’s insurance that covers our losses in case of a disaster like a fire or flood. But what if you are unable to buy food because of a natural disaster, job loss, or other crisis? If you’ve hedged against this risk by storing an emergency food supply, you’re covered.

The Need for Food Storage

The modern food supply system is efficient, but complex, putting it at risk in a number of ways. Supermarkets use a system called just-in-time inventory. A disruption at any point in the supply chain will mean that shelves will empty before replenish inventory arrives. A winter storm could limit the access of delivery trucks. A blackout could shut down a warehouse. Time and again, an approaching hurricane has sent people to the supermarket to stock up on food, water, and other emergency supplies, emptying shelves within hours. But a disruption in the food supply chain isn’t the only risk when it comes to feeding your family. During a major power outage, cash registers and debit/credit card machines will be out of commission. Unless you have an abundance of cash on hand, you’ll be unable to buy the supplies you need. The bottom line is there are many factors that could limit or prevent you from buying food at the supermarket. Even if the supermarkets are stocked and the weather is great, job loss, reduction in income, or loss of a spouse can drastically reduce your access to food. If one of these happened to you, how many days could you feed your family with the food you have in your house? Hedging against a loss of income by storing food brings peace of mind now and relief in a crisis later.

Replaceing a Food Storage Supplier

Like other types of insurance, you need a reliable and trustworthy provider when purchasing food storage. Because you can’t see through the packaging of long-term food storage, you can’t assess its quality without opening it (which defeats the purpose of the packaging, i.e. long shelf life). You can determine a company’s trustworthiness for yourself by asking questions, talking to other customers, tasting their products, knowing how long they have been in business, looking at customer reviews, evaluating their satisfaction guarantee, etc. As the number of companies selling long-term food storage products increases, it’s increasingly important to research the company and its products before deciding where to buy your food storage. Don’t take any company’s claims at face value. You don’t want to discover that you don’t have the coverage you need in your moment of crisis. We recommend reading “Emergency Essentials’ 15 Tips for Food Storage Shopping” before deciding where to buy your food storage. These tips will give a better idea of what to look for in a long-term food storage supply. Hedge against possible disruptions in food supplies, the economy, and personal income with food storage—your edible insurance—and you’ll certainly be covered in a crisis.
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2 comments

Vicky B

Vicky B

We were stocking extra canned food but the expiration dates became a problem. Now we stock and, most importantly, use Emergency Essentials food. I can keep a good supply of healthy food that prepares easily. When my husband had to have an unexpected surgery this past summer we did not have to worry about food. I ran out of the refried bean flakes but we ate good with no stress. It really is a blessing to be able to go to the shelf and choose our food.

Tammy

Tammy

I live in an earthquake zone, so I like to have extra food and water on hand as a form of insurance. Little did I realize that I would need the food stores for a dramatically different reason: a 40% cut in pay during the recession. That extra food meant I had the means to continue making the mortgage payment, even though things were tight.

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