scholarly journals A Theory of Rational Demand for Index Insurance

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 283-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Absolute Risk ◽  
Upper Bounds ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Index Insurance ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Basis Risk ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Simple Ratio ◽  
Rational Demand

Rational demand for index insurance products is shown to be fundamentally different to that for indemnity insurance products due to the presence of basis risk. In particular, optimal demand is zero for infinitely risk-averse individuals, and is nonmonotonic in risk aversion, wealth, and price. For a given belief, upper bounds are derived for the optimal demand from risk-averse and decreasing absolute risk-averse decision makers. A simple ratio for monitoring basis risk is presented and applied to explain the low level of demand for consumer hedging instruments as a rational response to deadweight costs and basis risk. (JEL D14, D81, G13, G22, Q14)

scholarly journals Short‐term investments and indices of risk

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 891-921
Author(s):  
Yuval Heller ◽  
Amnon Schreiber
Keyword(s):  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Absolute Risk ◽  
Risk Index ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Decision Problems ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Risky Assets ◽  
Absolute Risk Aversion ◽  
Constant Absolute Risk Aversion

We study various decision problems regarding short‐term investments in risky assets whose returns evolve continuously in time. We show that in each problem, all risk‐averse decision makers have the same (problem‐dependent) ranking over short‐term risky assets. Moreover, in each problem, the ranking is represented by the same risk index as in the case of constant absolute risk aversion utility agents and normally distributed risky assets.

Fractional Degree Stochastic Dominance

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (10) ◽  
pp. 4630-4647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel J. Huang ◽  
Larry Y. Tzeng ◽  
Lin Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Lower Bound ◽  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Stochastic Dominance ◽  
Absolute Risk ◽  
Comparative Statics ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Absolute Risk Aversion ◽  
Risk Apportionment ◽  
Lottery Choices ◽  
Increase In Risk

We develop a continuum of stochastic dominance rules for expected utility maximizers. The new rules encompass the traditional integer-degree stochastic dominance; between adjacent integer degrees, they formulate the consensus of individuals whose absolute risk aversion at the corresponding integer degree has a negative lower bound. By extending the concept of “uniform risk aversion” previously proposed in the literature to high-order risk preferences, we interpret the fractionalized degree parameter as a benchmark individual relative to whom all considered individuals are uniformly no less risk averse in the lottery choices. The equivalent distribution conditions for the new rules are provided, and the fractional degree “increase in risk” is defined. We generalize the previously defined notion of “risk apportionment” and demonstrate its usefulness in characterizing comparative statics of risk changes in fractional degrees. This paper was accepted by David Simchi-Levi, decision analysis.

scholarly journals Are Invisible Hands Good Hands in Health Care Markets? Extension

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Wang
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Social Welfare ◽  
Absolute Risk ◽  
Health Care Markets ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Absolute Risk Aversion ◽  
Insurance Policies ◽  
Equilibrium Level

AbstractA previous study finds that increased competition in health care markets improves social welfare, although consumers use “too much” health care when they have health insurance. The analysis assumes that consumers have a constant Arrow-Pratt coefficient of absolute risk aversion. This note shows that this finding can be extended to the case where consumers are simply risk averse. Furthermore, if insurers offered insurance policies with slightly lower usage prices than the equilibrium level, social welfare would be improved.

scholarly journals AN ECONOMIC RISK ANALYSIS OF WEED-SUPPRESSIVE RICE CULTIVARS IN CONVENTIONAL RICE PRODUCTION

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 478-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. BRADLEY WATKINS ◽  
DAVID R. GEALY ◽  
MERLE M. ANDERS ◽  
RANJITSINH U. MANE
Keyword(s):  
Risk Analysis ◽  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Absolute Risk ◽  
Rice Production ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Rice Cultivars ◽  
Economic Risk ◽  
Absolute Risk Aversion ◽  
Certainty Equivalents

AbstractWeed-suppressive rice cultivars have the potential to reduce heavy reliance on synthetic herbicides in rice production. However, the economics of using weed-suppressive rice cultivars in conventional rice systems have not been fully evaluated. This study uses simulation and stochastic efficiency with respect to a function to rank weed-suppressive and weed-nonsuppressive rice cultivars under alternative herbicide intensity levels based on their certainty equivalents mapped across increasing levels of absolute risk aversion. The results indicate risk-averse rice producers would prefer to grow weed-suppressive cultivars using less herbicide inputs than what would be used to grow weed-nonsuppressive rice cultivars.

scholarly journals Modeling of Risk Aversion Linked to Renewable Energy Policy and Decision-Maker Behavior

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dieudonné Dieudo Ecike Ewanga
Keyword(s):  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Decision Maker ◽  
Decision Support Tool ◽  
Renewable Energies ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Renewable Energy Policy ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Electricity Grid ◽  
Concave Utility Function

This paper presents the behavior of decision makers, the possible choices and the strategies 1 resulting from the uncertainties related to the integration of renewable energies. Its uncertainties 2 are the risks associated with the volatility of renewable sources, the dynamics of energy production 3 as well as the planning and operation of the electricity grid. The goal is to model the risk-averse 4 decision-maker’s behavior and the choice of integrating renewable energies into the electrical system. 5 Following a bibliographic approach, we expose a methodology to model the decision-maker’s 6 behavior(risk aversion and predilection for risk) to risk taking. The risk-averse decision maker may 7 adopt nonlinear utility functions. Risk aversion is a behavior that reflects the desire to avoid risk 8 decisions and thus reduces the risk of adverse consequences. A decision support tool is provided to 9 the decision-maker to choose a best-fit strategy based on his preferences. The rational and risk-averse 10 decision-maker would seek to maximize a concave utility function instead of seeking to minimize its 11 cost. Taste or aversion to risk can be modeled by a thematic function of utility.

scholarly journals The Willingness to Pay for Diversification

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ola Mahmoud
Keyword(s):  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Portfolio Choice ◽  
Loss Aversion ◽  
Fundamental Concept ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Initial Endowment ◽  
Choice Problem

Diversification is a fundamental concept in economics and finance. This paper argues that decision makers have an intrinsic preference for diversification that is responsive to cost and that this willingness to pay for diversification is driven by risk aversion and loss aversion. In an experiment replicating a portfolio choice problem, the value of diversification is estimated to be at 5% of the initial endowment of approximately $100. Moreover, risk-averse and loss-averse individuals are willing to pay more for diversification. These findings point to the idea that diversification is a fundamental preference and may help explain portfolio choice anomalies such as irrational diversification, the diversification bias, and overdiversification. This paper was accepted by Tomasz Piskorski, finance.

scholarly journals Input Demand Under Joint Energy and Output Prices Uncertainties

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (04) ◽  
pp. 1750018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moawia Alghalith ◽  
Xu Guo ◽  
Cuizhen Niu ◽  
Wing-Keung Wong
Keyword(s):  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Absolute Risk ◽  
Comparative Statics ◽  
Energy Price ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Absolute Risk Aversion ◽  
Output Price ◽  
Input Demand ◽  
Mean Variance

In this paper, we analyze the impacts of joint energy and output prices uncertainties on the input demands in a mean–variance framework. We find that an increase in expected output price will surely cause the risk-averse firm to increase the input demand, while an increase in expected energy price will surely cause the risk-averse firm to decrease the demand for energy, but increase the demand for the non-risky inputs. Furthermore, we investigate the two cases with only uncertain energy price and only uncertain output price. In the case with only uncertain energy price, we find that the uncertain energy price has no impact on the demands for the non-risky inputs. We also show that the concepts of elasticity and decreasing absolute risk aversion (DARA) play an important role in the comparative statics analysis.

Testing for changes in option-implied risk aversion

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Hélène Gagnon ◽  
Gabriel J. Power
Keyword(s):  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Absolute Risk ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Asset Return ◽  
Futures Contract ◽  
Oil Market ◽  
Bull Market ◽  
Before And After ◽  
States Of Nature

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate and test for changes in investor risk aversion and the stochastic discount factor (SDF) using options data on the West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures contract during the 2007-2011 period. Design/methodology/approach – Risk aversion functions and SDFs are estimated using parametric approaches before and after four specific dates of interest. The dates are: the summer 2008 end of the bull market regime; the late 2008 credit freeze trough; the BP Deepwater Horizon explosion; and the Libyan uprising. Findings – Absolute risk aversion functions and SDFs are significantly flatter (less decreasing in wealth) after the end of the bull market and the credit freeze trough. After these two market reversals, oil market participants were less risk-averse for low levels of wealth but more risk-averse for high wealth levels. Oil market investors also increased their valuation of anticipated future wealth in average states of nature relative to very high or very low-asset return states after reversals. The BP explosion and the Libyan uprising led to steeper risk aversion functions (decreasing more rapidly in wealth) and SDF. Oil market investors were more risk-averse for lower future wealth, but less risk-averse for higher future wealth. Oil market investors increased their valuation of anticipated future wealth in extreme states of nature relative to average states of nature after both dates. Originality/value – Documenting statistically and economically significant changes in oil market investors’ attitude toward risk and inter-temporal appetite for risk in relation to changes in financial and political conditions.

Constant Absolute Risk Aversion, Bankruptcy, and Wealth-Dependent Decisions

1980 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven A. Lippman ◽  
John J. McCall ◽  
Wayne L. Winston
Keyword(s):  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Absolute Risk ◽  
Absolute Risk Aversion ◽  
Constant Absolute Risk Aversion

Eliciting Risk Preferences and Elasticity of Substitution

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 314-329
Author(s):  
Johan Burgaard ◽  
Mogens Steffensen
Keyword(s):  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Discount Rate ◽  
Predictive Power ◽  
Recursive Utility ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Indirect Utility ◽  
Consistent Estimation ◽  
On Certainty ◽  
Certainty Equivalents ◽  
Elasticity Of Intertemporal Substitution

Risk aversion and elasticity of intertemporal substitution (EIS) are separated via the celebrated recursive utility building on certainty equivalents of indirect utility. Based on an alternative separation method, we formulate a questionnaire for simultaneous and consistent estimation of risk aversion, subjective discount rate, and EIS. From a representative group of 1,153 respondents, we estimate parameters for these preferences and their variability within the population. Risk aversion and the subjective discount rate are found to be in the orders of 2 and 0, respectively, not diverging far away from results from other studies. Our estimate of EIS in the order of 10 is larger than often reported. Background variables like age and income have little predictive power for the three estimates. Only gender has a significant influence on risk aversion in the usually perceived direction that females are more risk-averse than males. Using individual estimates of preference parameters, we find covariance between preferences toward risk and EIS. We present the background reasoning on objectives, the questionnaire, a statistical analysis of the results, and economic interpretations of these, including relations to the literature.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document