
doi: 10.2307/252315
Optimal insurance coverage has been analyzed by numerous researchers. Arrow [1963], Mossin [1968] and Smith [1968] describe insurance buying behavior of utility maximizing individuals. Their results, however, as well as those of later authors (e.g., Schlesinger [1981] and Turnbull [1983]) are qualitative in their nature. One of the important findings, for example, is that coverage decreases when the risk premium increases. To what degree coverage decreases is, however, not specified. Raviv [1979] concludes that Pareto optimal insurance policies involve a deductible and coinsurance above the deductible, but specific expressions as to the magnitudes are not treated. This paper extends these analyses by presenting explicit, albeit approximate, expressions for the amount of insurance coverage. Section 2 derives an expression for the expected utility maximizing individual who is free to choose any degree of coverage. Section 3 examines two other types of insurance contracts, and Section 4 summarizes the findings. Throughout, the results will be illustrated numerically for the "average" American household.
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 27 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
