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The financial leverage of Insurers subject to price regulation: evidence from Canada

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  • Strauss, Jason David

Abstract

The variation in the degree of price regulation in the property-liability insurance market in Canada varies across time and space, creating an opportunity to test a recurring theory in regulatory economics: that price regulated firms have higher levels of financial leverage. Using an instrumental variable for the stringency of price-regulation, this paper utilizes a panel data set of Canadian property-liability insurers over ten years of time, 1997-2006. The results support the theory but do not conclude on whether the increase in financial leverage is a strategic decision or a natural reaction to worsening business conditions brought-on by price-regulation.

Suggested Citation

  • Strauss, Jason David, 2008. "The financial leverage of Insurers subject to price regulation: evidence from Canada," MPRA Paper 10845, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:10845
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dasgupta, Sudipto & Nanda, Vikram, 1993. "Bargaining and brinkmanship : Capital structure choice by regulated firms," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 475-497.
    2. Robert A. Taggart, Jr., 1982. "Effects of Regulation on Utility Financing: Theory and Evidence," NBER Working Papers 0866, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Taggart, Robert A, Jr, 1985. "Effects of Regulation on Utility Financing: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(3), pages 257-276, March.
    4. Myers, Stewart C. & Majluf, Nicholas S., 1984. "Corporate financing and investment decisions when firms have information that investors do not have," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 187-221, June.
    5. Yossef Spiegel & Daniel F. Spulber, 1994. "The Capital Structure of a Regulated Firm," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 25(3), pages 424-440, Autumn.
    6. Stewart C. Myers & Nicholas S. Majluf, 1984. "Corporate Financing and Investment Decisions When Firms Have InformationThat Investors Do Not Have," NBER Working Papers 1396, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Robert Klein & Richard Phillips & Wenyan Shiu, 2002. "The Capital Structure of Firms Subject to Price Regulation: Evidence from the Insurance Industry," Journal of Financial Services Research, Springer;Western Finance Association, vol. 21(1), pages 79-100, February.
    8. Robert L. Hagerman & Brian T. Ratchford, 1978. "Some Determinants of Allowed Rates of Return on Equity to Electric Utilities," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 9(1), pages 46-55, Spring.
    9. Taggart, Robert A, Jr, 1981. "Rate-of-Return Regulation and Utility Capital Structure Decisions," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 36(2), pages 383-393, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Price Regulation; Insurance; Financial Leverage; Capital Structure; Bankruptcy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • G33 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Bankruptcy; Liquidation

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