2. You are deciding whether or not to purchase insurance. Your income is $100,000 and the chance of you getting sick is 30%. The insurance company is offering you a coinsurance rate of 0.15 and the utility that you get from your disposable income is U = √Y. If you get sick, your medical bills add up to $80,000. Assume that the insurance company charges the actuarially fair premium, and assume that you would purchase the same amount of medical care whether you are insured or not (i.e. M³ = M¹ = M*). Economic theory predicts that you will purchase insurance if the expected gain in utility from receiving the insurance payout when you are sick is greater than the expected loss in utility from paying the premium and remaining healthy. a. Using an expected utility diagram, show your decision process regarding whether to buy insurance or not. Calculate and then show on the diagram the following: i. Disposable income if you remain healthy and do not purchase insurance Disposable income if you are healthy and have purchased insurance iii. Disposable income if you become ill and have purchased insurance ii.

Microeconomic Theory
12th Edition
ISBN:9781337517942
Author:NICHOLSON
Publisher:NICHOLSON
Chapter7: Uncertainty
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 7.5P
icon
Related questions
Question
2. You are deciding whether or not to purchase insurance. Your income is $100,000 and the chance of
you getting sick is 30%. The insurance company is offering you a coinsurance rate of 0.15 and the
utility that you get from your disposable income is U = VY. If you get sick, your medical bills add up
to $80,000. Assume that the insurance company charges the actuarially fair premium, and assume that
you would purchase the same amount of medical care whether you are insured or not (i.e. Mi = M¹ =
M*). Economic theory predicts that you will purchase insurance if the expected gain in utility from
receiving the insurance payout when you are sick is greater than the expected loss in utility from paying
the premium and remaining healthy.
a.
Using an expected utility diagram, show your decision process regarding whether to buy
insurance or not. Calculate and then show on the diagram the following:
i. Disposable income if you remain healthy and do not purchase insurance
ii.
Disposable income if you are healthy and have purchased insurance
iii. Disposable income if you become ill and have purchased insurance
iv. Disposable income if you become ill and have not purchased insurance
b. Calculate and then show on the diagram:
i. Utility if you remain healthy and have not purchased insurance
ii.
Utility if you are healthy and have purchased insurance
iii.
Utility if you become ill and have purchased insurance
iv. Utility if you become ill and have not purchased insurance
What is the expected decrease in your utility from buying insurance? What is the expected increase
in your utility from buying insurance?
d. Should you purchase insurance? Why or why not?
C.
Transcribed Image Text:2. You are deciding whether or not to purchase insurance. Your income is $100,000 and the chance of you getting sick is 30%. The insurance company is offering you a coinsurance rate of 0.15 and the utility that you get from your disposable income is U = VY. If you get sick, your medical bills add up to $80,000. Assume that the insurance company charges the actuarially fair premium, and assume that you would purchase the same amount of medical care whether you are insured or not (i.e. Mi = M¹ = M*). Economic theory predicts that you will purchase insurance if the expected gain in utility from receiving the insurance payout when you are sick is greater than the expected loss in utility from paying the premium and remaining healthy. a. Using an expected utility diagram, show your decision process regarding whether to buy insurance or not. Calculate and then show on the diagram the following: i. Disposable income if you remain healthy and do not purchase insurance ii. Disposable income if you are healthy and have purchased insurance iii. Disposable income if you become ill and have purchased insurance iv. Disposable income if you become ill and have not purchased insurance b. Calculate and then show on the diagram: i. Utility if you remain healthy and have not purchased insurance ii. Utility if you are healthy and have purchased insurance iii. Utility if you become ill and have purchased insurance iv. Utility if you become ill and have not purchased insurance What is the expected decrease in your utility from buying insurance? What is the expected increase in your utility from buying insurance? d. Should you purchase insurance? Why or why not? C.
Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 4 steps with 3 images

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Premium
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, economics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
  • SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
Microeconomic Theory
Microeconomic Theory
Economics
ISBN:
9781337517942
Author:
NICHOLSON
Publisher:
Cengage
Brief Principles of Macroeconomics (MindTap Cours…
Brief Principles of Macroeconomics (MindTap Cours…
Economics
ISBN:
9781337091985
Author:
N. Gregory Mankiw
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Essentials of Economics (MindTap Course List)
Essentials of Economics (MindTap Course List)
Economics
ISBN:
9781337091992
Author:
N. Gregory Mankiw
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Principles of Economics 2e
Principles of Economics 2e
Economics
ISBN:
9781947172364
Author:
Steven A. Greenlaw; David Shapiro
Publisher:
OpenStax