[ohyesyodo]

Hmm I could live a year off my savings, but shouldn't you be insured? If I lose my job tomorrow I get 3500 USD/month for a year. I pay 10 USD/month for this insurance. (Backed by the government). Don't you normally do it like this in the US? Where I live all people get an insurance like this. Or is this pretty much the same as social security?

[Raphael]

U.S. has it.

State Unemployment Insurance

http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/uifactsheet.asp

[breischl]

Yes, but I believe it really only applies to actual employees (W-2 employees in the US), not contractors. If your contract ends or is cancelled and you can't find anything else, Unemployment Insurance isn't going to help you.

[qwerta]

> I pay 10 USD/month for this insurance

In EU it can be easily 1000 USD/month. Compulsory!