I would think a hot water tank, or emergency boiler repair, or a large hole in your roof....but those aren't really even emergencies as much as they are "inconveniences". The truth is, the article should have increased the amount of an "emergency" for inflation (say $20,000). I agree, $1,000 doesn't rise to the level of emergency when some guys could rack that up in dinner and entertainment in one 12 hour span.