Consider a medieval Italian merchant who is a risk averse expected utility maximiser. Their wealth will be equal to y if their ship returns safely from Asia loaded with the finest silk. If the ship sinks, their income will be y − L. The chance of a safe return is 50%. (i) Draw and carefully label the merchant’s endowment point, their expected income, and their certainty equivalent income in a 2-dimensional state-contingent consumption space. Use the diagram to illustrate and explain how the merchant would benefit from buying insurance in a competitive insurance market. At which point a risk-neutral insurance firm would maximise their profits by offering the merchant full insurance?

Consider a medieval Italian merchant who is a risk averse expected utility maximiser. Their wealth will be equal to y if their ship returns safely from Asia loaded with the finest silk. If the ship sinks, their income will be y − L. The chance of a safe return is 50%. (i) Draw and carefully label the merchant’s endowment point, their expected income, and their certainty equivalent income in a 2-dimensional state-contingent consumption space. Use the diagram to illustrate and explain how the merchant would benefit from buying insurance in a competitive insurance market. At which point a risk-neutral insurance firm would maximise their profits by offering the merchant full insurance?

Microeconomic Theory

12th Edition

ISBN:9781337517942

Author:NICHOLSON

Publisher:NICHOLSON

Chapter7: Uncertainty

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 7.10P

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