The degree of risk taking by a bank is related to the size of the gross subsidy that has been extended to the bank by the safety net. This subsidy can be calculated by applying a technique that models deposit insurance as a put option on the bank's assets

"This paper conducts the first empirical assessment of theories concerning relationships among risk taking by banks, their ownership structures, and national bank regulations. We focus on conflicts between bank managers and owners over risk, and show that bank risk taking varies positively with...