Hurricane Helene’s devastation reminds us that we may be one disaster away from losing our homes and businesses and even the food and water we take for granted. When supplies are in high demand, whether before or after a disaster, sellers may be tempted to charge more simply because higher prices are what “the market will bear” or for more palatable reasons: higher prices ration goods efficiently by discouraging hoarding, encouraging more supply, or incentivizing preplanning. Whatever the virtues or vices involved in higher prices, it is usually dismissed as “price gouging” and states encourage consumers to file complaints against sellers who may then be subjected to criminal or civil penalties.