Suppose there is a 50–50 chance that a risk-averse individual with a current wealth of $20,000 will contract a debilitating disease and suffer a loss of $10,000. a. Calculate the cost of actuarially fair insurance in this situation and use a utility-of-wealth graph (such as shown in Figure 7.1) to show that the individual will prefer fair insurance against this loss to accepting the gamble uninsured. b. Suppose two types of insurance policies were available: (1) a fair policy covering the complete loss; and (2) a fair policy covering only half of any loss incurred. Calculate the cost of the second type of policy and show that the individual will generally regard it as inferior to the first. Reference: Figure 7.1

Microeconomic Theory
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Chapter7: Uncertainty
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Suppose there is a 50–50 chance that a risk-averse individual with a current wealth of
$20,000 will contract a debilitating disease and suffer a loss of $10,000.
a. Calculate the cost of actuarially fair insurance in this situation and use a utility-of-wealth
graph (such as shown in Figure 7.1) to show that the individual will prefer fair insurance
against this loss to accepting the gamble uninsured.
b. Suppose two types of insurance policies were available:
(1) a fair policy covering the complete loss; and
(2) a fair policy covering only half of any loss incurred.
Calculate the cost of the second type of policy and show that the individual will generally
regard it as inferior to the first.
Reference: Figure 7.1
Transcribed Image Text:Suppose there is a 50–50 chance that a risk-averse individual with a current wealth of $20,000 will contract a debilitating disease and suffer a loss of $10,000. a. Calculate the cost of actuarially fair insurance in this situation and use a utility-of-wealth graph (such as shown in Figure 7.1) to show that the individual will prefer fair insurance against this loss to accepting the gamble uninsured. b. Suppose two types of insurance policies were available: (1) a fair policy covering the complete loss; and (2) a fair policy covering only half of any loss incurred. Calculate the cost of the second type of policy and show that the individual will generally regard it as inferior to the first. Reference: Figure 7.1
e utility-of-wealth function is concave (i.e., exhibits a diminishing marginal utility of wealth), ther
person will refuse fair bets. A 50-50 chance of winning or losing h dollars, for example, yields les:
ected utility [EU(A)] than does refusing the bet. The reason for this is that winning h dollars mear
to this individual than does losing h dollars.
Utility
U(W)
U(W)
EU(A) = U(CE^)
EU(B)
%3D
3D
%3D
%3D
%3D
Wo-2h
Wo+h i Wo
Wo+h
Wo+2h
Wealth (W)
CEA
Transcribed Image Text:e utility-of-wealth function is concave (i.e., exhibits a diminishing marginal utility of wealth), ther person will refuse fair bets. A 50-50 chance of winning or losing h dollars, for example, yields les: ected utility [EU(A)] than does refusing the bet. The reason for this is that winning h dollars mear to this individual than does losing h dollars. Utility U(W) U(W) EU(A) = U(CE^) EU(B) %3D 3D %3D %3D %3D Wo-2h Wo+h i Wo Wo+h Wo+2h Wealth (W) CEA
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