Abstract
Six government insurance programs are de scribed and evaluated against three criteria: (1) size and sig nificance of the economic burden imposed by the risks covered, (2) public acceptance of the program, and (3) necessity of govern ment initiative to accept the risk if private insurers could not do so. It is concluded that government handling of flood and swine flu liability risks are justified, but the government pro grams in riot reinsurance, crime insurance, and nuclear energy liability should be terminated. Federal crop insurance is of questionable necessity in view of the basic insurability of this risk by private insurers.
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