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Temporal Profitability and Pricing of Long‐Term Care Insurance

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  • Larry A. Cox
  • Yanling Ge

Abstract

Equilibrium models of dynamic insurance markets can be bifurcated according to underlying assumptions about whether or not insurers commit to long‐term contracts. The difference is substantial in that commitment models imply price highballing over time while no‐commitment models indicate price lowballing. Extant empirical studies provide mixed evidence, however. We use long‐term care (LTC) insurance data, which allow us both to better control for heterogeneous, observable risk, to examine dynamic profitability and pricing in a relatively young, innovative insurance market. Our tests generally indicate temporal price lowballing, thereby providing support for the no‐commitment models.

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  • Larry A. Cox & Yanling Ge, 2004. "Temporal Profitability and Pricing of Long‐Term Care Insurance," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 71(4), pages 677-705, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jrinsu:v:71:y:2004:i:4:p:677-705
    DOI: 10.1111/j.0022-4367.2004.00108.x
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    Cited by:

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    2. Ruo Jia & Zenan Wu, 2019. "Insurer commitment and dynamic pricing pattern," The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 44(1), pages 87-135, March.
    3. Eling, Martin & Jia, Ruo & Schaper, Philipp, 2017. "Get the Balance Right: A Simultaneous Equation Model to Analyze Growth, Profitability, and Safety," Working Papers on Finance 1716, University of St. Gallen, School of Finance.
    4. Tao Zhang & Larry A. Cox & Robert A. Van Ness, 2009. "Adverse Selection and the Opaqueness of Insurers," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 76(2), pages 295-321, June.
    5. Ruo Jia & Zenan Wu, 2019. "Insurer commitment and dynamic pricing pattern," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance Theory, Springer;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 44(1), pages 87-135, March.

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