Information, Incentives, and Effects of Risk-Sharing on the Real Economy
25 Pages Posted: 10 Apr 2019
Date Written: November 1, 2018
Abstract
In the absence of market imperfections, the mutuality principle leads to efficient risk sharing and the Pareto optimal asset allocations. With market imperfections such as transaction costs and information asymmetry, risk-sharing becomes costly, and it can even lead to financial crises. We emphasize the impact of risk-sharing on the real economy, especially the incentives for the insured party to take on excessive risks because the downsides are borne by the insurer (i.e., the moral hazard problem). We then review selective literature and summarize papers included in this issue, grouping them into three broad categories: risk identification, risk measurement, and risk management techniques. We conclude by outlining several streams of future research, including mechanisms to monitor excessive risk-taking, how to mitigate risk interconnectedness, and the potential applications of FinTech in risk sharing.
Keywords: risk sharing, incentive, information, risk management, systemic risk
JEL Classification: G14; G20
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation