Firms’ Management of Infrequent Shocks

58 Pages Posted: 12 Sep 2016 Last revised: 14 Apr 2024

See all articles by Benjamin Collier

Benjamin Collier

Temple University - Risk Management & Insurance & Actuarial Science

Andrew Haughwout

Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Howard Kunreuther

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); University of Pennsylvania - Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center

Erwann Michel-Kerjan

University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School - Center for Risk Management

Michael Stewart

Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Date Written: September 2016

Abstract

We examine businesses’ financial management of a rare, severe event using detailed firm-level data collected following Hurricane Sandy in the New York area. Credit played a prominent role in financing recovery; more negatively affected firms took on debt because of Sandy (38%) than received insurance payments (15%) in our data. Negatively affected firms were often credit constrained after the shock. While firms’ demand for insurance is often explained by financing frictions, we find that the most credit constrained firms after the event, younger firms and smaller firms, were the least likely to insure before it.

Suggested Citation

Collier, Benjamin and Haughwout, Andrew F. and Kunreuther, Howard C. and Kunreuther, Howard C. and Michel-Kerjan, Erwann and Stewart, Michael, Firms’ Management of Infrequent Shocks (September 2016). NBER Working Paper No. w22612, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2837604

Benjamin Collier (Contact Author)

Temple University - Risk Management & Insurance & Actuarial Science ( email )

Fox School of Business and Management
1301 Cecil B. Moore Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19122
United States

Andrew F. Haughwout

Federal Reserve Bank of New York ( email )

33 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10045
United States
212-720-2685 (Phone)
212-720-1844 (Fax)

Howard C. Kunreuther

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

University of Pennsylvania - Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center ( email )

3819 Chestnut Street
Suite 130
Philadelphia, PA 19104
United States
215-898-4589 (Phone)

Erwann Michel-Kerjan

University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School - Center for Risk Management ( email )

Jon M Huntsman Hall, Suite 500
3730 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6365
United States

Michael Stewart

Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of New York ( email )

33 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10045
United States

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