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

Concept of diminishing returns, in aid of a diagram explain the concept of ...

in aid of a diagram explain the concept of diminishing returns in production

Demand and supply, discuss and illustrates the following terms with diagra...

discuss and illustrates the following terms with diagrams1.inferior goods.2.normal goods,3.giffen goods

Least cost determination, how do i use the grid technique to determine the ...

how do i use the grid technique to determine the least cost

Explain the term economic efficiency, Explain the term economic efficiency?...

Explain the term economic efficiency?  Answer:   Economic Efficiency means full utilization of all available resources in economy i.e. to produce the needed amount of goods and

Entrepreneur, Entrepreneur: The entrepreneur or enterprise is a specia...

Entrepreneur: The entrepreneur or enterprise is a special factor of production that is in charge of the organization of the other three factors of production (land, labour and

Macro economics, At what point is the Fed likely to raise interest rates fo...

At what point is the Fed likely to raise interest rates for the first time? How large are the first couple of hikes likely to be? (hints: conditional on unemployment or gdp growth

Analytical framework- shapes of graphs, ive been asked to compare shapes of...

ive been asked to compare shapes of graphs e.g. constant slopes increasing, decreasing, inelastc using the concepts of marginal and average changes?

Miss, explain how scarcity impacts choice 2.expain the three steps process ...

explain how scarcity impacts choice 2.expain the three steps process in economic analysis

#title.microeconomics issues., how microeconomic issues maybe represented ...

how microeconomic issues maybe represented using production posibility curve

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