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The Effect of Patent Litigation Insurance: Theory and Evidence From NPEs

Author

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  • Bernhard Ganglmair

  • Christian Helmers

  • Brian J. Love

Abstract

We analyze the extent to which private defensive litigation insurance deters patent assertion by non-practicing entities (NPEs). We study the effect that a patent-specific defensive insurance product, offered by a leading litigation insurer, had on the litigation behavior of insured patents' owners, all of which are NPEs. We first model the impact of defensive litigation insurance on the behavior of patent enforcers and accused infringers. We show that the availability of defensive litigation insurance can have an effect on how often patent enforcers will assert their patents. We confirm this result empirically showing that the insurance policy had a large, negative effect on the likelihood that a patent included in the policy was subsequently asserted relative to other patents held by the same NPEs and relative to patents held by other NPEs with portfolios that were entirely excluded from the insurance product. Our findings suggest that market-based mechanisms can deter so-called "patent trolling."

Suggested Citation

  • Bernhard Ganglmair & Christian Helmers & Brian J. Love, 2020. "The Effect of Patent Litigation Insurance: Theory and Evidence From NPEs," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2020_196, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:bon:boncrc:crctr224_2020_196
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    Cited by:

    1. Juranek, Steffen & Otneim, Håkon, 2024. "Predicting patent lawsuits with machine learning," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    2. Junhao Zhong & Zhenzhen Wang & Yunfeng Deng, 2025. "Driving the Green Transformation of Enterprises: The Role of Patent Insurance," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 46(2), pages 1373-1391, March.
    3. Juranek, Steffen & Otneim, Håkon, 2021. "Using machine learning to predict patent lawsuits," Discussion Papers 2021/6, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Business and Management Science.
    4. Bernhard Ganglmair & Christian Helmers & Brian J Love, 2022. "The Effect of Patent Litigation Insurance: Theory and Evidence from NPEs [“Valuable Patents]," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 38(3), pages 741-773.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies
    • K41 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Litigation Process
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital

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