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Tax incentives, bequest motives and the demand for life insurance: evidence from Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Walliser, Jan

    (International Monetary Fund)

  • Winter, Joachim

    (Mannheim Research Institute for the Economics of Aging (MEA))

Abstract

Life insurance, in particular whole life insurance, plays an important role for private saving in Germany. Whole life insurance combines the insurance against uncertain death with a savings plan. Accordingly, a stylized model of life-cycle behavior would predict that whole life insurance purchases respond to both bequest motives and the tax advantages of life insurance compared with other forms of saving. Using data from the German Consumer Expenditure Survey (EVS), the paper shows that tax advantages and bequest motives indeed have an important impact on life insurance demand in Germany, if the empirical specification explicitly recognizes the censoring of life insurance face values.

Suggested Citation

  • Walliser, Jan & Winter, Joachim, 1998. "Tax incentives, bequest motives and the demand for life insurance: evidence from Germany," Sonderforschungsbereich 504 Publications 99-28, Sonderforschungsbereich 504, Universität Mannheim;Sonderforschungsbereich 504, University of Mannheim.
  • Handle: RePEc:xrs:sfbmaa:99-28
    Note: Financial Support from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, SFB 504 at the University of Mannheim, is gratefully acknowledged.
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    File URL: http://www.sfb504.uni-mannheim.de/publications/dp99-28.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bernheim, B Douglas, 1991. "How Strong Are Bequest Motives? Evidence Based on Estimates of the Demand for Life Insurance and Annuities," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(5), pages 899-927, October.
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    5. David F. Babbel and Eisaku Ohtsuka., 1985. "Aspects of Optimal Multiperiod Life Insurance," Research Program in Finance Working Papers 156, University of California at Berkeley.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Börsch-Supan, Axel & Reil-Held, Anette & Rodepeter, Ralf & Schnabel, Reinhold & Winter, Joachim, 2000. "Household Savings in Germany," Discussion Papers 577, Institut fuer Volkswirtschaftslehre und Statistik, Abteilung fuer Volkswirtschaftslehre.
    2. Borsch-Supan, Axel & Reil-Held, Anette & Rodepeter, Ralf & Schnabel, Reinhold & Winter, Joachim, 2001. "The German Savings Puzzle," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(1), pages 15-38, March.
    3. Börsch-Supan, Axel & Lührmann, Melanie, 2000. "Prinzipien der Renten- und Pensionsbesteuerung," Discussion Papers 584, Institut fuer Volkswirtschaftslehre und Statistik, Abteilung fuer Volkswirtschaftslehre.
    4. Axel Börsch-Supan & Anette Reil-Held & Ralf Rodepeter & Reinhold Schnabel & University of Mannheim & Germany, 2000. "Household Savings in Germany," Macroeconomics 0004053, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Rodepeter, Ralf & Winter, Joachim, 1998. "Savings decisions under life-time and earnings uncertainty : empirical evidence from West German household data," Papers 98-58, Sonderforschungsbreich 504.
    6. Lothar Essig, 2005. "Household Saving in Germany: Results from SAVE 2001-2003," MEA discussion paper series 05083, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy.
    7. Börsch-Supan, Axel, 2002. "International Comparison of Household Savings Behaviour: The German Savings Puzzle," MEA discussion paper series 02006, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy.
    8. Börsch-Supan, Axel, 2001. "Blaupause für eine nachhaltige Rentenreform in Deutschland," Discussion Papers 599, Institut fuer Volkswirtschaftslehre und Statistik, Abteilung fuer Volkswirtschaftslehre.
    9. Xi Wu & Li Gan, 2013. "Multiple Dimensions of Private Information in Life Insurance Markets," NBER Working Papers 19629, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Axel Börsch‐Supan, 2005. "Risiken im Lebenszyklus: Theorie und Evidenz," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 6(4), pages 449-469, November.
    11. Börsch-Supan, Axel & Eymann, Angelika, 2000. "Household Portfolios in Germany," Discussion Papers 603, Institut fuer Volkswirtschaftslehre und Statistik, Abteilung fuer Volkswirtschaftslehre.
    12. Stephanie Hussels & Damian Ward & Ralf Zurbruegg, 2005. "Stimulating the Demand for Insurance," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 8(2), pages 257-278, September.
    13. Xi Wu & Li Gan, 2023. "Multiple dimensions of private information in life insurance markets," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 65(5), pages 2145-2180, November.
    14. Barry Mulholland & Michael Finke & Sandra Huston, 2016. "Understanding the Shift in Demand for Cash Value Life Insurance," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 19(1), pages 7-36, March.
    15. Carolin Hecht & Katja Hanewald, 2010. "Sociodemographic, Economic, and Psychological Drivers of the Demand for Life Insurance: Evidence from the German Retirement Income Act," SFB 649 Discussion Papers SFB649DP2010-034, Sonderforschungsbereich 649, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
    16. Börsch-Supan, Axel, 2002. "A Blue Print For Germany’s Pension Reform," MEA discussion paper series 02002, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy.
    17. Axel Börsch‐Supan, 2000. "Was lehrt uns die Empirie in Sachen Rentenreform?," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 1(4), pages 431-451, November.
    18. Lothar Essig, 2005. "Measures for savings and saving rates in the German SAVE data set," MEA discussion paper series 05086, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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