The Nature of Risk Preferences: Evidence from Insurance Choices

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2013
Volume: 103
Issue: 6
Pages: 2499-2529

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We use data on insurance deductible choices to estimate a structural model of risky choice that incorporates "standard" risk aversion (diminishing marginal utility for wealth) and probability distortions. We find that probability distortions?characterized by substantial overweighting of small probabilities and only mild insensitivity to probability changes?play an important role in explaining the aversion to risk manifested in deductible choices. This finding is robust to allowing for observed and unobserved heterogeneity in preferences. We demonstrate that neither K?szegi-Rabin loss aversion alone nor Gul disappointment aversion alone can explain our estimated probability distortions, signifying a key role for probability weighting.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:103:y:2013:i:6:p:2499-2529
Journal Field
General
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-24