If a magnitude 8-9 earthquake is epicentered nearby, unscathed survival would be iffy - subterranean structures included. Quakes over magnitude 6 topple heavy furniture, cabinets dump their contents, items on bookshelves and headboards become missiles and whatever's hanging on walls will fall unless they're specifically secured against EQs.
That said, few quakes come anywhere near 8 or 9 magnitude, EQ sinkholes/chasms are mostly Hollywood imaginings, and folks living in EQ zones have the latest safety measures drilled into our heads. Most CA buildings and homes (mine included) have been EQ retrofitted over the past 30 years. The objective: keep structures standing long enough to escape without serious injury. Damage to structures and contents are much lesser consideration.
(My house's full interior hasn't been painted in about 15 years because all large furniture is anchored to wall studs. Pictures, mirrors, etc, are hung with closed hooks, then velcroed in place. Rearrange the furniture for a new layout? Move pictures around? Repaint every few years to follow the latest design trend? Not bloody likely. When/if we redo the floors it'll be repainted. Otherwise we'll leave it to the next owners.)
In a long-term nationwide power interruption, paying bills would be the least of anyone's worries. Access to savings and electronically managed assets would likewise be impossible. For a short while cash might be accepted, but we'd quickly shift to bartering services and trading with/for water, food, fuel, batteries, liquor, tobacco, ammo, gold and silver.
Store shelves would be emptied via widespread desperate looting as soon as the public realized what was happening, pillaging homes would be next, and societal collapse would be upon us. No communications, police, FDs, operational hospitals, medications, etc. 2020 inconveniences and shortages would feel like heaven by comparison.
That's why government-required hardening of our power sources is so important.
