We investigate whether financial contract terms alter individuals’ risk-taking behavior under a moral hazard framework. Exploiting (a) the contractual-level data of automobile insurance, and (b) a unique institutional reform that gives more pricing freedom to insurers, we discover a...

This paper provides evidence of the role that financial market development and institutional quality play in the integration of European Union (EU) life insurance markets. It analyzes ten EU life insurance markets over a seventeen-year sample period. The meta-technology cost/revenue efficiency...

Micro-insurance is a form of insurance, not being separated from traditional insurance, but which is mainly aimed at low-income individuals. This form of insurance applies to developing countries, where the level of population income is below the average level and where the low-income...

This paper is the first to examine the effects of consolidation in the international insurance industry on the acquirers' contribution to systemic risk. We analyze a sample of 394 international domestic and cross-border mergers and find a strong positive relation between consolidation in the...

Deregulation and the succeeding changes, such as forming group affiliation, demutualization, and new entry from foreign countries, are widespread and worldwide phenomenon in the life insurance industry. This study examines impacts of the deregulation and the succeeding changes on efficiency of...

Despite being key elements of the profit/deficit valuation of an insurance transaction in most economic frameworks, Frictional Capital Costs (FCC) have constantly been used with uncertainties underlying their calculations. In fact, economic presentations are always facing issues on the choice of...

The paper addresses the research question of whether black boxes affect the market efficiency, particularly by reducing the level of premiums. The case analyzed is the Italian motor-vehicle insurance market, characterized by the greatest amount of black boxes in the world as a consequence of...

We extend the seminal Rothschild and Stiglitz (1976) model on competitive insurance markets with asymmetric information in the spirit of Wilson (1977)’s ‘anticipatory equilibrium’ by introducing an additional stage in which initial contracts can be withdrawn after observation of...

In 2018, the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD) was fully implemented by all EU member states. It intends to harmonize the insurance market, provide the right incentives for the agents and protect the consumers. But why? The core business of the banking sector makes it necessary for a...

Global diversification of financial institutions, including the insurance sector, has proven beneficial to many economies by providing them with increasing capital flow, higher competition, and introduction of newer technologies and distribution channels. This paper aims to critically evaluate...