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Betting on a long life: The role of subjective life expectancy in the demand for private pension insurance of german households

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  • Schulte, Katharina
  • Zirpel, Ulrike

Abstract

With a view to investigating the presence of adverse selection, we analyze determinants of private pension insurance uptake of German households in a probit model. Using survey data on savings and old-age provision, we find that subjective life expectancy is positively related with the probability of having supplementary private pension insurance. This indicates that the German annuities market is in fact characterized by adverse selection. Furthermore, pre-existing annuities from the public pension system tend to be a substitute to private insurance, while financial literacy enhances the uptake. We also find evidence for a bequest motive in old-age provision, but see no indication for pooling longevity risk within couples.

Suggested Citation

  • Schulte, Katharina & Zirpel, Ulrike, 2010. "Betting on a long life: The role of subjective life expectancy in the demand for private pension insurance of german households," Economics Working Papers 2010-06, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:cauewp:201006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hans-Martin von Gaudecker & Carsten Weber, 2004. "Surprises in a Growing Market Niche: An Evaluation of the German Private Life Annuities Market," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 29(3), pages 394-416, July.
    2. van Rooij, Maarten & Lusardi, Annamaria & Alessie, Rob, 2011. "Financial literacy and stock market participation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(2), pages 449-472, August.
    3. de Meza, David & Webb, David C, 2001. "Advantageous Selection in Insurance Markets," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 32(2), pages 249-262, Summer.
    4. Axel Boersch-Supan & Christina B. Wilke, 2004. "The German Public Pension System: How it Was, How it Will Be," NBER Working Papers 10525, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. van Rooij, Maarten & Lusardi, Annamaria & Alessie, Rob, 2011. "Financial literacy and stock market participation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(2), pages 449-472, August.
    6. von Gaudecker, Hans-Martin & Weber II, Carsten, 2003. "Surprises in a Growing Market Niche - An Evaluation of the German Private Annuities Market," Sonderforschungsbereich 504 Publications 03-08, Sonderforschungsbereich 504, Universität Mannheim;Sonderforschungsbereich 504, University of Mannheim.
    7. Bucher-Koenen, Tabea, 2009. "Financial Literacy and Private Old-age Provision in Germany," MEA discussion paper series 09192, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy.
    8. Börsch-Supan, Axel & Reil-Held, Anette & Schunk, Daniel, 2008. "Saving incentives, old-age provision and displacement effects: evidence from the recent German pension reform," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 7(3), pages 295-319, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pfarr, Christian & Schneider, Udo, 2011. "Choosing between subsidized or unsubsidized private pension schemes: a random parameters bivariate probit analysis," MPRA Paper 29400, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies

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