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

Real estate development and process, Answer the following question Focus on...

Answer the following question Focus on Real Estate Development Normal 0 false false false EN-IN X-NONE X-NONE

Applied Microeconomics, EDPE 4056: Applied Microeconomics Program in Econom...

EDPE 4056: Applied Microeconomics Program in Economics and Education Teachers College, Columbia University Prof. Francisco Rivera-Batiz Problem Set 1 Please answer all of the fol

Demand Supply, Ask qIf the supply and demand curves for labor are represent...

Ask qIf the supply and demand curves for labor are represented by the following equations: Wd= -- (1/100)Ld + 30 Ws= (1/200)Ls Ws=Wd Ld=Ld a. Graph the results and show the equili

Elasticities of demand:, price of laptop increases by 20% and there is a 40...

price of laptop increases by 20% and there is a 40% drop in the quantity demanded?

Examine the factors that influence a country s exchange rate, Examine the f...

Examine the factors that influence a country s exchange rate. Suppose and define a floating exchange rate, the major issue here is to outline the factors influencing the supply

Contribution of foreign trade to economic development, Contribution of Fore...

Contribution of Foreign Trade to Economic Development: Foreign trade contributes to economic development in a number of ways.  •  It provides flow of technology which al

Depletion and depreciation, During its current tax year (year one) a pharma...

During its current tax year (year one) a pharmaceutical company purchased a mixing tank that had a fair market price of $120,000. It replaced the an older, smaller mixing tank that

Explain supply and demand diagrams, During the 1990s, technological advance...

During the 1990s, technological advance reduced the cost of computer chips. Explain, with the use of supply and demand diagrams, how the following markets are affected in terms of

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