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

The market mechanism , The Market Mechanism  Features of the equil...

The Market Mechanism  Features of the equilibrium or market clearing price: – QD = QS  – No shortage or scarcity  – No extra supply price.  – No pressure on th

Market supply and increase in supply, Market supply and Increase in supply:...

Market supply and Increase in supply: Market supply is the total quantity of a product that all firms in an industry are willing to offer for sale at a given market price an

Price Elasticity, About four years ago, Kanye West performed at the UIC Pav...

About four years ago, Kanye West performed at the UIC Pavilion. General admission tickets were priced at $30. Concert promoters say that price elasticity of demand for general admi

Managerial econ, what will cause a firms demand curve to shift: a a change ...

what will cause a firms demand curve to shift: a a change in sellers profit associated with the good or service b change in technology for good cchange in non price variable in dem

Discussion perfectly competitive firm, Explain why a perfectly competitive ...

Explain why a perfectly competitive firm does not expand its sales without limit if its horizontal demand curve indicates that it can sell as much as it desires at the current mark

Measuring economies of scale in long run, Economies and Diseconomies of Sca...

Economies and Diseconomies of Scale -Economies of Scale Increase in the output is greater than increase in the inputs. -Diseconomies of Scale Increase in the

2252, Inflation is defined as

Inflation is defined as

Compute numerically the equilibrium quantity, You are examining the effects...

You are examining the effects of a specific tax of 10 cents imposed on the sales of a product that we shall call XYZ. To carry out your analysis, assume that the market is a perfec

#syndicated oligopoly, Could I have examples of syndicated and organized ol...

Could I have examples of syndicated and organized oligopolies with companies as examples

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