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The Formation of Mutual Insurers in Markets with Adverse Selection

Author

Listed:
  • James A. Ligon

    (University of Alabama)

  • Paul D. Thistle

    (University of NevadaLas Vegas)

Abstract

The size distribution of mutual property-liability insurers has a larger proportion of relatively small companies than the size distribution of stock property-liability insurers. Small mutuals are unlikely to offer risk-sharing advantages over conventional insurance, so these firms must offer their members other advantages. This article develops a theoretical model showing that these mutuals may offer advantages over conventional insurance in addressing problems of adverse selection. When adverse selection exists, conventional insurers may coexist with small mutuals. Small mutuals may be strictly preferred by low-risk individuals. The size of the mutuals is limited by asymmetric information problems.

Suggested Citation

  • James A. Ligon & Paul D. Thistle, 2005. "The Formation of Mutual Insurers in Markets with Adverse Selection," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 78(2), pages 529-556, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jnlbus:v:78:y:2005:i:2:p:529-556
    DOI: 10.1086/427637
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    Cited by:

    1. Seog S. Hun, 2006. "Limited Competition, Information Asymmetry, and Organizational Forms," Asia-Pacific Journal of Risk and Insurance, De Gruyter, vol. 1(2), pages 1-14, February.
    2. Qiming Wang & James A. Ligon, 2009. "The Underpricing of Insurance IPOs," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 38(2), pages 301-322, June.
    3. Francesca Barigozzi & Renaud Bourlès & Dominique Henriet & Giuseppe Pignataro, 2017. "Pool size and the sustainability of optimal risk-sharing agreements," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 82(2), pages 273-303, February.
    4. Renaud Bourlès & Dominique Henriet, 2012. "Risk-sharing Contracts with Asymmetric Information," The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 37(1), pages 27-56, March.
    5. Dionne, Georges & Harrington, Scott, 2017. "Insurance and Insurance Markets," Working Papers 17-2, HEC Montreal, Canada Research Chair in Risk Management.
    6. Dionne, Georges & Fombaron, Nathalie & Mimra, Wanda, 2023. "Adverse selection in insurance," Working Papers 23-5, HEC Montreal, Canada Research Chair in Risk Management.
    7. Braun, Alexander & Schmeiser, Hato & Rymaszewski, Przemysław, 2015. "Stock vs. mutual insurers: Who should and who does charge more?," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 242(3), pages 875-889.
    8. Patricia Born & M. Martin Boyer, 2011. "Claims‐Made and Reported Policies and Insurer Profitability in Medical Malpractice," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 78(1), pages 139-162, March.
    9. Matthias Nadler & Felix Bekemeier & Fabian Schar, 2022. "DeFi Risk Transfer: Towards A Fully Decentralized Insurance Protocol," Papers 2212.10308, arXiv.org.
    10. Antti Talonen & Iiro Jussila & Hannu Saarijärvi & Timo Rintamäki, 2016. "Consumer cooperatives: uncovering the value potential of customer ownership," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 6(3), pages 142-156, December.
    11. Mingming Leng & Mahmut Parlar, 2009. "Allocation of Cost Savings in a Three-Level Supply Chain with Demand Information Sharing: A Cooperative-Game Approach," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 57(1), pages 200-213, February.
    12. Schmeiser, Hato & Orozco-Garcia, Carolina, 2021. "The merits of pooling claims: Mutual vs. stock insurers," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 92-104.
    13. Eric Stephens & James R. Thompson, 2015. "Separation Without Exclusion in Financial Insurance," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 82(4), pages 853-864, December.
    14. Stephens, Eric & Thompson, James R., 2014. "CDS as insurance: Leaky lifeboats in stormy seas," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 279-299.
    15. Debora Zaparova, 2020. "Mutual or stock insurance: Solidarity in the face of insolvency," Working Papers of BETA 2020-06, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    16. Lisa L. Posey & Paul D. Thistle, 2017. "Automobile Insurance and Driver Ability: Contract Choice as a Screening Mechanism," The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 42(2), pages 141-170, September.
    17. Lisa L. Posey & Paul D. Thistle, 2017. "Automobile Insurance and Driver Ability: Contract Choice as a Screening Mechanism," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance Theory, Springer;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 42(2), pages 141-170, September.
    18. James A. Ligon & Paul D. Thistle, 2008. "Moral Hazard and Background Risk in Competitive Insurance Markets," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 75(300), pages 700-709, November.
    19. Pierre Picard, 2014. "Participating Insurance Contracts and the Rothschild-Stiglitz Equilibrium Puzzle," The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 39(2), pages 153-175, September.
    20. Stephens, Eric & Thompson, James, 2012. "Separation Without Mutual Exclusion in Financial Insurance," Working Papers 2012-8, University of Alberta, Department of Economics.
    21. Dionne, Georges & Fombaron, Nathalie & Doherty, Neil, 2012. "Adverse selection in insurance contracting," Working Papers 12-8, HEC Montreal, Canada Research Chair in Risk Management.

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