In this paper we formulate and test a number of hypotheses regarding insurer participation and volume decisions in derivatives markets. Several specific hypotheses are supported by our analysis. We find evidence consistent with the idea that insurers are motivated to use financial derivatives to...

Weather derivatives are contingent claims with payo based on a pre-speci ed weather index. Firms exposed to weather risk can transfer it to nancial markets via weather derivatives. We develop a utility-based model for pricing baskets of weather derivatives in over-the-counter markets under...

The criterion of minimizing the cumulative hedged returns’ probability of underperforming a benchmark provides a framework for evaluating short-term hedges that are rolled over to produce longer-term hedges. Large deviations theory can be used to either parametrically or nonparametrically...