Microeconomics, Microeconomics

Assignment Help:
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:- Microeconomics

What is expenditure function, What is Expenditure Function? The Expendi...

What is Expenditure Function? The Expenditure Function: When preferences satisfy the local nonsatiation assumption, in that case v(p, m) will be strictly increasing into m.

Applyimg supply/denabde due to illness and hospital :), If a 10% increase ...

If a 10% increase in the price of computers leads to a 20% reduction in the quantity demanded, what is the coefficient of demand elasticity? 2. A local government wants to increase

Sources of monopoly power, Sources of monopoly power: The main sources...

Sources of monopoly power: The main sources of monopoly power include the following: (i) Control of the entire supply of a basic input . It only one firm has access to or co

What are the possibilities of returns to scale in production, What are the ...

What are the possibilities of returns to scale in production technology? Three possibilities are there as: technology exhibits (a) constant returns to scale; (b) decreasing ret

Visit to village panchayat for agricultural based project., related documen...

related documents, photos,paper for permission from court etc.

PPC, How dose PPC help, illustrate the basic economic problem?

How dose PPC help, illustrate the basic economic problem?

Normal and abnormal profits., the diagram used to illustrate abnormal and n...

the diagram used to illustrate abnormal and normal progits

State the difference between indifference curve and isoquant, What is the d...

What is the difference between indifference curve and isoquants?  An indifference curve shows dissimilar combinations which a consumer can buy with a given level of income. Ind

Reasons for the existence of external economies of scale, Question : (a...

Question : (a) Using a simple example, diffrence between inter - industry trade and intra - industry trade? (b) Illustrate the reasons for the existence of external economie

The law diminishing marginal utility, the law diminishing marginal utility ...

the law diminishing marginal utility explain through flow chart

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