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Rare events and annuity market participation

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  • Lopes, Paula
  • Michaelides, Alexander

Abstract

We investigate whether a rare event (like the default of the annuity provider) can explain the annuity market participation puzzle. High risk aversion is needed to change behavior in the presence of such a disastrous shock but higher risk aversion also makes annuities more valuable. Therefore, these rare events are unlikely candidates to explain the low take-up of voluntary annuities.

Suggested Citation

  • Lopes, Paula & Michaelides, Alexander, 2005. "Rare events and annuity market participation," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 24672, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:24672
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    Cited by:

    1. Grant G. Thompson & Lynn A. Maguire & Tracey J. Regan, 2018. "Evaluation of Two Approaches to Defining Extinction Risk under the U.S. Endangered Species Act," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(5), pages 1009-1035, May.
    2. Post, Thomas, 2009. "Individual welfare gains from deferred life-annuities under stochastic Lee-Carter mortality," SFB 649 Discussion Papers 2009-022, Humboldt University Berlin, Collaborative Research Center 649: Economic Risk.
    3. Joseph Briggs & Christopher Tonetti, 2019. "Risky Insurance: Insurance Portfolio Choice with Incomplete Markets," 2019 Meeting Papers 1388, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    4. Joachim Inkmann & Paula Lopes & Alexander Michaelides, 2011. "How Deep Is the Annuity Market Participation Puzzle?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 24(1), pages 279-319.
    5. John Ameriks & Andrew Caplin & Steven Laufer & Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh, 2011. "The Joy of Giving or Assisted Living? Using Strategic Surveys to Separate Public Care Aversion from Bequest Motives," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 66(2), pages 519-561, April.
    6. Christian Julliard & Anisha Ghosh, 2012. "Can Rare Events Explain the Equity Premium Puzzle?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 25(10), pages 3037-3076.
    7. Roman N. Schulze & Thomas Post, 2010. "Individual Annuity Demand Under Aggregate Mortality Risk," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 77(2), pages 423-449, June.
    8. Jang, Bong-Gyu & Lee, Ho-Seok, 2016. "Retirement with risk aversion change and borrowing constraints," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 16(C), pages 112-124.
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    10. Jang, Bong-Gyu & Koo, Hyeng Keun & Park, Seyoung, 2019. "Optimal consumption and investment with insurer default risk," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 44-56.
    11. Hui Li & Seth Neumuller & Casey Rothschild, 2021. "Optimal annuitization with imperfect information about insolvency risk," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 88(1), pages 101-130, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    annuity provision; saving during retirement; rare events;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H00 - Public Economics - - General - - - General
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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