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

Compensared demand function, What are the properties of compensared demand ...

What are the properties of compensared demand function

Private property regime , Normal 0 false false false EN...

Normal 0 false false false EN-IN X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

Determine the economic productivity level, Determine the economic productiv...

Determine the economic productivity level Up until 1500 as best we can tell there had been next to no growth in output per worker for the average human for millennia. Even in 1

What is a prisoners dilemma, 1. Ayanna grows herbs. Last year she grew 2,00...

1. Ayanna grows herbs. Last year she grew 2,000 pounds of herbs in a year while using 250 square feet of land and 1 worker. This year she doubled her land to 500 square feet, doubl

Subsidies and welfare, Ask question #Minimum 100 areanycurrentsubsidyorwelf...

Ask question #Minimum 100 areanycurrentsubsidyorwelfareissueddiscussedoraddressedinparliamentwords accepted#

Concept and meaning of infrastructure, CONCEPT AND MEANING OF INFRASTRUCTUR...

CONCEPT AND MEANING OF INFRASTRUCTURE: Infrastructure sectors are the backbone of a national economy. It has been commonly opined that infrastructure development is closely re

Supply and demand of coffee and tea, Three factors that determine demand fo...

Three factors that determine demand for coffee and tea

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