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

Demand and supluy curves, using demand and supply curves explain how shorta...

using demand and supply curves explain how shortage and surplus are created

What are subsidies, What are subsidies?  Almost in all market systems, ...

What are subsidies?  Almost in all market systems, government plays its role to stabilize the price of certain commodities, which are of public interest like medicines and edib

Supply, conditions for an abnormal supply curve

conditions for an abnormal supply curve

Production function curve, different types of production funtion and curve ...

different types of production funtion and curve given by different economist

Nash equilibrium strategy, suppose your opponent is not playing her nash eq...

suppose your opponent is not playing her nash equilibrium strategy. Should you play nash equilibrium strategy?k question #Minimum 100 words accepted#

HELP, Suppose Jean Splicer, an investor, buys $300,000 of shares of stock i...

Suppose Jean Splicer, an investor, buys $300,000 of shares of stock in a diversified bundle of Bio-tech firms and exactly one year later sells those shares for $315,000. Assume the

Need help, #queA monopolist has a constant marginal and average cost of $10...

#queA monopolist has a constant marginal and average cost of $10 and faces a demand curve Of Qd = 1000-10P. Marginal revenue is given by MR= 1000-1/5Q. stion..

Mathematical approach to cost functions, Given that TC=1000+10Q-0.9Q^2+0.04...

Given that TC=1000+10Q-0.9Q^2+0.04Q^3,,Find the rate of output Q that result in minimum Average variable cost

Perfect competition, The price at which output is sold in a perfectly compe...

The price at which output is sold in a perfectly competitive market is determined by

Theory of monopolistic competition, The very name of this market type sugge...

The very name of this market type suggests that it is a combination of the monopoly and competitive firms. The characteristics of such a market are: 1. There exists large n

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