insurance, Microeconomics

Assignment Help:
#question.Question: Answer all parts (a, b, c, d, e & f).

Consider the following insurance market. There are two states of the world, B and G, and two types of consumers, H and L, who have probabilities pH =0.5 and pL =0.25 (high and low risk) respectively of being in state B. They have common endowment e=(eG,eB) = (£900, £100). The individuals have expected utility preferences over state-contingent consumptions c=(cG,cB), with common utility function u(ci)=ln(ci), where i=B,G. Insurance firms are risk-neutral profit maximisers and offer contracts in exchange for the individuals’ endowments.

Suppose the market is competitive.

a) Outline the definition of a competitive equilibrium of this market and explain why every contract, offered by every firm, must earn zero profit in equilibrium. [7 marks]

b) Suppose the information concerning individuals’ types is symmetric, but void. It is commonly known, however, that the proportion of low risk consumers is 0.4. Derive the equilibrium set of contracts. [5 marks]

c) Find the equilibrium set of contracts when information is symmetric and perfect. [5 marks]

Now suppose that information is asymmetric; individuals know their own type but insurance firms cannot distinguish between types. (Note: there does exist an equilibrium set of contracts for this market. You may make use of this fact without proving it).

d) Explain why it must be that, if {cH,cL} is the equilibrium set of contracts, then
cH ? cL. [4 marks]

e) Explain and derive the equilibrium contract offered to high risk individuals. [3 marks]

f) Explain and derive the equilibrium contract offered to low risk individuals. [9 marks]

Related Discussions:- insurance

Aggregate demand, Aggregate Demand When referred to in the circumstanc...

Aggregate Demand When referred to in the circumstance of GNP or GDP, aggregate demand dealings the sum of what is spent by various parties in the United States for product and

Managerial economics, A company a product using labor (L) and raw material ...

A company a product using labor (L) and raw material (R) with Q = 80L^0.2 R^0.8. If labor costs $20 per hour and raw material $40 per unit, what is the optimal combination (least c

The hypothesis of inflation-unemployment trade-off, The Hypothesis of Infla...

The Hypothesis of Inflation-Unemployment Trade-off : This hypothesis about formation of expectations is therefore known as the hypothesis of adaptive expectations. The hypothes

Trading/ keynesian economics and supply side economists, 1) Describe (with ...

1) Describe (with an example) how trading can lead to an increase in world output if countries specialize in the good in which they have a comparative advantage. How does the intr

What is high-powered money, What is "high-powered money"?  The "high-po...

What is "high-powered money"?  The "high-powered money" is the similar as monetary base, which is defined, at the minimum, as the sum of the currency in circulation (banknotes

Short run, A film studio in Hollywood produces movies according to the fun...

A film studio in Hollywood produces movies according to the function q = F(K;L) = (2=100)K^0.5L^0.5 In the short run, capital (studios, gear) is xed at a level of 100. It costs $

.economic regulation, are most local phone companies natural monopolies?

are most local phone companies natural monopolies?

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd