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New results on optimal prevention of risk averse agents

Author

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  • Mario Menegatti

    (Dipartimento di Economia, Università di Parma, Italy)

Abstract

This note shows that there exists a threshold level of optimal prevention for a risk neutral agent which separates cases where a risk averse agent exerts less effort in prevention than a risk neutral agent and cases where she exerts more effort. We also show that the risk averse agent makes "more accentuated" choices than the risk neutral agent (i.e. lower prevention when prevention is low and higher prevention when prevention is high). Finally we demonstrate that the threshold level for prevention is affected by agent's prudence or imprudence and that this effect acts in opposite directions in one-period and in two-period frameworks.

Suggested Citation

  • Mario Menegatti, 2012. "New results on optimal prevention of risk averse agents," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 32(3), pages 2166-2173.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-12-00158
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    File URL: http://www.accessecon.com/Pubs/EB/2012/Volume32/EB-12-V32-I3-P209.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dionne, Georges & Li, Jingyuan, 2011. "The impact of prudence on optimal prevention revisited," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 113(2), pages 147-149.
    2. Menegatti, Mario, 2009. "Optimal prevention and prudence in a two-period model," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 58(3), pages 393-397, November.
    3. Bruno Jullien & Bernard Salanié & François Salanié, 1999. "Should More Risk-Averse Agents Exert More Effort?," The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 24(1), pages 19-28, June.
    4. M. Menegatti, 2007. "A new interpretation for the precautionary saving motive: a note," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 92(3), pages 275-280, December.
    5. Eeckhoudt, Louis & Schlesinger, Harris, 2008. "Changes in risk and the demand for saving," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(7), pages 1329-1336, October.
    6. Louis Eeckhoudt & Harris Schlesinger, 2006. "Putting Risk in Its Proper Place," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(1), pages 280-289, March.
    7. Louis Eeckhoudt & Christian Gollier, 2005. "The impact of prudence on optimal prevention," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 26(4), pages 989-994, November.
    8. Louis Eeckhoudt & Rachel J. Huang & Larry Y. Tzeng, 2012. "Precautionary Effort: A New Look," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 79(2), pages 585-590, June.
    9. Menegatti, Mario & Rebessi, Filippo, 2011. "On the substitution between saving and prevention," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 62(3), pages 176-182.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Crainich, David & Eeckhoudt, Louis & Menegatti, Mario, 2016. "Changing risks and optimal effort," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 97-106.
    2. Mario Menegatti, 2018. "Prudence and Different Kinds of Prevention," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 44(2), pages 273-285, April.
    3. Peter, Richard, 2021. "Prevention as a Giffen good," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    4. Christophe Courbage & Henri Loubergé & Richard Peter, 2017. "Optimal Prevention for Multiple Risks," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 84(3), pages 899-922, September.
    5. Mario Menegatti, 2014. "Optimal choice on prevention and cure: a new economic analysis," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 15(4), pages 363-372, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    prevention; risk aversion; prudence; risk neutrality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty

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