This high-stakes experiment investigates the effect on buyers of mandatory disclosures concerning an insurance policy's value for money (the claims ratio) and the seller's commission. These information disclosures have virtually no effect despite most buyers claiming to value such information....

This high-stakes experiment investigates the effect on buyers of mandatory disclosures concerning an insurance policy's value for money (the claims ratio) and the seller's commission. These information disclosures have virtually no effect despite most buyers claiming to value such information....

Subjects who overestimate their performance in experimental tasks unrelated to travel are less willing to insure against failing in the task and also less inclined to buy travel insurance. This suggests intrinsic optimism influences insurance demand and diminishes adverse selection.

Some risky activities are optional, for example motoring. Participation in them is most attractive for good risks, creating a tendency for advantageous selection in the associated insurance market. Taxing insurance consequently yields deadweight gains when type is hidden. Results are...

Paying an insurance premium but not needing to claim is sometimes viewed as pouring money down the drain. Aversion to the perceived waste may lead to the rejection of fair insurance. Although policies paying rebates if no claim is made are not attractive to expected utility maximisers, this...