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Intrahousehold efficiency and individual insurance in Ghana

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  • Goldstein, Marcus

Abstract

I test a model of Pareto efficient risk sharing within households using consumption data from Ghana. The results reject this model despite showing that individual consumption is not significantly affected by both agricultural and illness shocks. Turning to transfer data, I find evidence that men share risks with both family members and non-family friends when faced with shocks and that women share risk with non-family friends. The form of these arrangements differ based not only on the gender of the individual, but also the type of shock and nature of the transfer.

Suggested Citation

  • Goldstein, Marcus, 2004. "Intrahousehold efficiency and individual insurance in Ghana," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 6644, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:6644
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/6644/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Conning, Jonathan & Udry, Christopher, 2007. "Rural Financial Markets in Developing Countries," Handbook of Agricultural Economics, in: Robert Evenson & Prabhu Pingali (ed.), Handbook of Agricultural Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 56, pages 2857-2908, Elsevier.
    2. repec:zbw:rwirep:0432 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Baland, Jean-Marie & Bequet, Ludovic & Guirkinger, Catherine & Manuel, Clarice, 2024. "Sharing norm, household efficiency and female demand for agency in the Philippines," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    4. Florian Klohn & Christoph Strupat, 2013. "Crowding out of Solidarity? – Public Health Insurance versus Informal Transfer Networks in Ghana," Ruhr Economic Papers 0432, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    5. Fikret Adaman & Oya Pinar Ardic & Didem Tuzemen, 2006. "Network Effects in Risk Sharing and Credit Market Access: Evidence from Istanbul," Working Papers 2006/17, Bogazici University, Department of Economics.
    6. Hasan, Mohammad Monirul, 2014. "Seasonality Induced Marginality: Vulnerability of Wage Earners’ Food and Nutrition Security in Southern Bangladesh," MPRA Paper 66831, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Jonathan Robinson, 2012. "Limited Insurance within the Household: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Kenya," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 4(4), pages 140-164, October.
    8. Platteau, Jean-Philippe & Guirkinger, Catherine, 2019. "The dynamics of family systems: lessons from past and present times," CEPR Discussion Papers 13570, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    9. Klohn, Florian & Strupat, Christoph, 2013. "Crowding out of Solidarity? – Public Health Insurance versus Informal Transfer Networks in Ghana," Ruhr Economic Papers 432, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    10. Putman, Daniel S., 2020. "The Scope of Risk Pooling," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304480, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

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