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

Why have these economies converged, Why Have These Economies Converged? ...

Why Have These Economies Converged? By and large economies which have converged are those which belong to OECD: the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that w

Strength of the multiplier in microeconomics, Q. Strength of the multiplier...

Q. Strength of the multiplier in microeconomics? Multiplier: An initial stimulus to spending (in form of new consumer, business or government purchases) generally results in a

Equilibruim, I want to know all about equilibruim consumer equilibruim firm...

I want to know all about equilibruim consumer equilibruim firms equilibruim nd market equilibruim technically also??

Differentiate between a firm and a market, 1 Differentiate between a firm a...

1 Differentiate between a firm and a market. 2 Graphically illustrate (i.e. draw) and explain the relationship between the market demand curve and the individual firm's demand c

Indifference curve, explain the properties of indifference curve with the h...

explain the properties of indifference curve with the help of diagrams?

Global Competition, The distinction between supply and the quantity supplie...

The distinction between supply and the quantity supplied is best made by saying that

Oxidation, what is oxidizing agent

what is oxidizing agent

Supply demand curve, an emission fee levied against polluting firms will te...

an emission fee levied against polluting firms will tend to shift the supply/demand curve of the firm/product to the left/right?

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