Abstract
This chapter presents the basic theoretical models of insurance demand in a one-period expected-utility setting. Models of coinsurance and of deductible insurance are examined along with their comparative statics with respect to changes in wealth, prices and attitudes towards risk. The similarities and difference between market insurance, self-insurance and self-protection are also presented. The basic models are then extended to account for default risk and for background risk.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Borch, K. (1962). “Equilibrium in a Reinsurance Market,” Econometrica 30, 424–444.
Briys, E. and H. Schlesinger (1990). “Risk Aversion and the Propensities for Self-Insurance and Self-Protection,” Southern Economic Journal 57, 458–467.
Briys, E., G. Dionne and L. Eeckhoudt (1989). “More on Insurance as a Giffen Good,” Journal of Risk and Uncertainty 2, 415–420.
Dachraoui, K., G. Dionne, L. Eeckhoudt and Ph. Godfroid (1999). “Proper Risk Behavior” Working Paper 99–01, Risk Management Chair, HEC-Montreal. http://www.hec/ca/gestiondesriques/papers
Dionne, G. and L. Eeckhoudt (1985). “Self-Insurance, Self-Protection and Increased Risk Aversion,” Economics Letters 17, 39–42.
Doherty, N. and H. Schlesinger (1983a). “Optimal Insurance in Incomplete Markets,” Journal of Political Economy 91, 1045–1054.
Doherty, N. and H. Schlesinger (1983b). “The Optimal Deductible for an Insurance Policy when Initial Wealth is Random,” Journal of Business 56, 555–565.
Doherty, N. and H. Schlesinger (1990). “Rational Insurance Purchasing: Consideration of Contract Nonperformance,” Quarterly Journal of Economics I05, 143–153.
Eeckhoudt, L. and C. Gollier (2000). “The Effects of Changes in Risk on Risk Taking: A Survey” (this volume).
Eeckhoudt, L. and M. Kimball (1992). “Background Risk, Prudence, and the Demand for Insurance,” in: G. Dionne, ed., Contributions to Insurance Economics (Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers).
Eeckhoudt, L., C. Gollier and H. Schlesinger (1996). “Changes in Background Risk and Risk Taking Behavior,” Econometrica 64, 683–689.
Eeckhoudt, L., C. Gollier and H. Schlesinger (1997). “The No Loss Offset Provision and the Attitude Towards Risk of a Risk-Neutral Firm,” Journal of Public Economics 65, 207–217.
Eeckhoudt, L., J.F. Outreville, M. Lauwers and E Calcoen (1988). “The Impact of a Probationary Period on the Demand for Insurance,” Journal of Risk and Insurance 55, 217–228.
Ehrlich I. and G. Becker (1972) “Market Insurance, Self-Insurance and Self-Protection” Journal of Political Economy, 623–648.
Frees, E.W. and E. Valdez (1998). “Understanding Relationships using Copulas,” North American Actuarial Journal, 2, 1–25.
Gollier, C. (1995). “The Comparative Statics of Changes in Risk Revisited,” Journal of Economic Theory 66, 522–536.
Gollier, C. (2000). “Optimal Insurance Design: What can We Do with and without Expected Utility” (this volume)
Gollier, C. and J.W. Pratt (1996). “Risk Vulnerability and the Tempering Effect of Background Risk,” Econometrica 5, 1109–1123.
Gollier, C. and H. Schlesinger (1998). “Preserving Preference Orderings of Uncertain Prospects under Background Risk,” University of Toulouse working paper.
Jullien, B., B. Salanie and E Salanie (1999) “Should More Risk Aversion Individuals Exert More Effort” Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance Theory, 24, 19–28.
Kimball, M. (1993). “Standard Risk Aversion,” Econometrica 61, 589–611.
Mayers, D. and C.W. Smith, Jr. (1983). “The Interdependence of Individual Portfolio Decisions and the Demand for Insurance,” Journal of Political Economy 91, 304–311.
Meyer, J. and M.B. Ormiston (1998). “The Demand of Insurance when the Deductible Form of Indemnification is Optimal,” Michigan State University working paper.
Mossin, J. (1968). “Aspects of Rational Insurance Purchasing,” Journal of Political Economy 79, 553–568.
Pratt, J. (1964). “Risk Aversion in the Small and in the Large,” Econometrica 32, 122–136.
Ross, S. (1983). “Some Stronger Measures of Risk Aversion in the Small and in the Large with Applica-tions,” Econometrica 3, 621–638.
Schlesinger, H. (1997). “Insurance Demand without the Expected-Utility Paradigm,” Journal of Risk and Insurance 64, 19–39.
Schlesinger, H. and J.M. Gf. v.d. Schulenburg (1987). “Risk Aversion and the Purchase of Risky Insurance,” Journal of Economics 47, 309–314.
Segal, U. and A. Spivak (1990). “First Order versus Second Order Risk Aversion,” Journal of Economic Theory 51, 111–125.
Smith, V. (1968). “Optimal Insurance Coverage,” Journal of Political Economic 68, 68–77.
Sweeney, G. and T.R. Beard (1992). “Self-Protection in the Expected-Utility-of-Wealth Model: An Impossibility Theorem,” Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance Theory 17, 147–158.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2000 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Schlesinger, H. (2000). The Theory of Insurance Demand. In: Dionne, G. (eds) Handbook of Insurance. Huebner International Series on Risk, Insurance, and Economic Security, vol 22. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0642-2_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0642-2_5
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-0-7923-7911-9
Online ISBN: 978-94-010-0642-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive