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The Role of Repetition and Observability in Deterring Insurance Fraud

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  • Michal Krawczyk

    (Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw, 41 Dluga 44/50 PL-00241, Warsaw, Poland.)

Abstract

In this paper, I analyze an inspection game between an insurer and an infinite sequence of policyholders, who can try to misrepresent relevant information in order to obtain coverage or lower insurance premium. Because claim-auditing is costly for the insurer, ex-post moral hazard problem arises. I find that the repeated game effect serves as a commitment device, allowing the insurer to deter fraud completely (for sufficiently high discount rate) but only when the policyholders observe past auditing strategies. Under weaker observability conditions, only partial efficiency gains are generally possible. I conclude that the insurers should spend resources on signaling their anti-fraud attempts to the potential policyholders. Similar conclusions can be drawn with respect to conceptually similar problems, such as tax evasion. The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review (2009) 34, 74–87. doi:10.1057/grir.2009.1

Suggested Citation

  • Michal Krawczyk, 2009. "The Role of Repetition and Observability in Deterring Insurance Fraud," The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 34(1), pages 74-87, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:genrir:v:34:y:2009:i:1:p:74-87
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Picard, Pierre, 1996. "Auditing claims in the insurance market with fraud: The credibility issue," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 27-56, December.
    2. Picard, Pierre, 2009. "Costly risk verification without commitment in competitive insurance markets," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 893-919, July.
    3. repec:dau:papers:123456789/6456 is not listed on IDEAS
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    Cited by:

    1. Jean-Marc Bourgeon & Pierre Picard, 2014. "Fraudulent Claims and Nitpicky Insurers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(9), pages 2900-2917, September.
    2. Christian Siemering, 2021. "The economics of dishonest insurance companies," The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 46(1), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Anthony Rossiter & Susan M Hester, 2017. "Designing Biosecurity Inspection Regimes to Account for Stakeholder Incentives: An Inspection Game Approach," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 93(301), pages 277-301, June.
    4. Pierre Picard, 2012. "Economic Analysis of Insurance Fraud," Working Papers hal-00725561, HAL.
    5. J François Outreville, 2010. "The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review 2009: In Quest of Behavioural Insurance," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 35(3), pages 484-497, July.

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