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Puzzles of insurance demand and its biases: A survey on the role of behavioural biases and financial literacy on insurance demand

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  • Pitthan, Francisco
  • De Witte, Kristof

Abstract

This paper reviews the puzzles of insurance demand, and provides an overview of behavioural-based explanations on the concept of underinsurance. In particular, the study outlines the biases (among myopia, narrow framing and others) that help to explain the existence of those puzzles. The results indicate that biases do motivate the chances of underinsurance through sub-optimal probability weighting or wrong probability estimation of risks. We discuss that the literature has fallen short in providing possible solutions for the puzzles, with this study proposing financial literacy treatments, that aim at improving knowledge and use of finance, as a systematic solution.

Suggested Citation

  • Pitthan, Francisco & De Witte, Kristof, 2021. "Puzzles of insurance demand and its biases: A survey on the role of behavioural biases and financial literacy on insurance demand," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:beexfi:v:30:y:2021:i:c:s2214635021000150
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbef.2021.100471
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    3. Michael Schuhen & Susanne Kollmann & Minou Seitz & Gunnar Mau & Manuel Froitzheim, 2022. "Financial Literacy of Adults in Germany FILSA Study Results," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-17, October.
    4. Hwang, In Do, 2024. "Behavioral aspects of household portfolio choice: Effects of loss aversion on life insurance uptake and savings," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PA), pages 1029-1053.
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    6. Ignacio Ibarra López & Juan Antonio Tapia Cortés, 2022. "El uso de productos financieros en la demanda de seguros en México," Remef - Revista Mexicana de Economía y Finanzas Nueva Época REMEF (The Mexican Journal of Economics and Finance), Instituto Mexicano de Ejecutivos de Finanzas, IMEF, vol. 17(3), pages 1-26, Julio - S.
    7. M. Mercè Claramunt & Maite Mármol & Xavier Varea, 2023. "Facing a Risk: To Insure or Not to Insure—An Analysis with the Constant Relative Risk Aversion Utility Function," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-13, February.
    8. Mankaï, Selim & Marchand, Sébastien & Le, Ngoc Ha, 2024. "Valuing insurance against small probability risks: A meta-analysis," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    9. Zarifis, Alex & Cheng, Xusen, 2022. "A model of trust in Fintech and trust in Insurtech: How Artificial Intelligence and the context influence it," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Insurance demand; Underinsurance; Behavioural finance; Financial literacy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G41 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making in Financial Markets
    • D80 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - General
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid
    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies
    • G53 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Financial Literacy

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