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Moral hazard and subsidized crop insurance

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  • Shenan Wu
  • Barry K. Goodwin
  • Keith Coble

Abstract

Along with adverse selection, moral hazard is one of the major hurdles that private and public insurance plans must contend with. Moral hazard occurs if risks are endogenous to a producer's behavior and if the insurer is unable to properly monitor the insured. We review the role of moral hazard in the US crop insurance program. We conduct an empirical analysis of one important aspect of the US crop insurance program—prevented planting. This provision provides indemnity payments if conditions are not suitable for planting. The program has been the subject of considerable controversy, especially during 2019, when the rate of claims is expected to be especially high. Because loss adjustors may encounter difficulties in assessing the weather conditions associated with prevented planting claims, the program is susceptible to moral hazard. We consider the extent to which prevented planting claims may be endogenous to prices. We find significant evidence of moral hazard. The likelihood of prevented planting claims increases as the expected market price decreases or as fertilizer costs increase for corn and soybeans in the Prairie Pothole Region and for grain sorghum and cotton in all states.

Suggested Citation

  • Shenan Wu & Barry K. Goodwin & Keith Coble, 2020. "Moral hazard and subsidized crop insurance," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(1), pages 131-142, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:51:y:2020:i:1:p:131-142
    DOI: 10.1111/agec.12545
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Paloch Suchato & Taro Mieno & Karina Schoengold & Timothy Foster, 2022. "The potential for moral hazard behavior in irrigation decisions under crop insurance," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 53(2), pages 257-273, March.
    3. David Weisberger & Melissa Ann Ray & Nicholas T. Basinger & Jennifer Jo Thompson, 2024. "Chemical, ecological, other? Identifying weed management typologies within industrialized cropping systems in Georgia (U.S.)," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 41(3), pages 935-953, September.
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    6. Gallagher, Nicholas James, 2024. "Dynamic Programming Methods for Characterizing In-Season Farm Management Decisions," Dissertations and Theses 344827, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Services.
    7. Nicole Karwowski, 2022. "Estimating the Effect of Easements on Agricultural Production," NBER Chapters, in: American Agriculture, Water Resources, and Climate Change, pages 53-105, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Prasenjit N. Ghosh & Ruiqing Miao & Emir Malikov, 2023. "Crop insurance premium subsidy and irrigation water withdrawals in the western United States," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 48(4), pages 968-992, October.
    9. Hui Mao & Shaojian Chen & RuiYao Ying & Yong Fu, 2023. "How crop insurance influences agrochemical input use: Evidence from cotton farmers in China," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 67(2), pages 224-244, April.
    10. Lee, Seunghyun, 2022. "Effects of Wet Spring on Prevented Planting," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322348, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    11. Turner, Dylan & Tsiboe, Francis & Baldwin, Katherine & Williams, Brian & Dohlman, Erik & Astill, Gregory & Skorbiansky, Sharon Raszap & Abadam, Vidalina & Yeh, D. Adeline & Knight, Russell, 2023. "Federal Programs for Agricultural Risk Management," Economic Information Bulletin 340216, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

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