--%>

Problem on utility funtion probability

Suppose that your utility, U, is a function only of wealth, Y, and that U(Y) is as drawn below. In this graph, note that U(Y) increases linearly between points a and b. 

Suppose further that you do not know whether or not you will be sick, but you do know that the probability of becoming sick is p (while the probability of staying healthy is 1-p).  If you do get sick, your wealth will be Ys = 0.  If you do not get sick, your wealth will be Yh > 0. 

1940_utility function.jpg

(1) Write an expression for expected income, EI, and an expression for expected utility without insurance.
 
(2) Assume that a < EI < b.  Draw, on the graph above, a line showing expected utility without insurance. Also draw a line showing expected utility with actuarially fair full insurance.

(3) Consider an actuarially fair partial insurance contract that offers a if you are sick and b if you are healthy. Would your utility with such a contract be greater or less than your utility with an actuarially fair full insurance contract? Briefly, explain. 

   Related Questions in Advanced Statistics

  • Q : Probability of Rolling die problem A

    A fair die is rolled (independently) 12 times. (a) Let X denote the total number of 1’s in 12 rolls. Find the expected value and variance of X. (b) Determine the probability of obtaining e

  • Q : Variation what are the advantages and

    what are the advantages and disadvantages of seasonal variation

  • Q : Describe how random sampling serves

    Explain sampling bias and describe how random sampling serves to avoid bias in the process of data collection.    

  • Q : Correlation Define the term Correlation

    Define the term Correlation and describe Correlation formula in brief.

  • Q : Probability of winning game Monte Carlo

    Monte Carlo Simulation for Determining Probabilities 1. Determining the probability of winning at the game of craps is difficult to solve analytically. We will assume you are playing the `Pass Line.'  So here is how the game is played: The shooter rolls a pair of

  • Q : Describe what happens to the confidence

     A nurse practitioner working in a dermatology clinic is studying the efficacy of tretinoin in treating women's post partum abdominal stretch marks.  From a sample of 15 women, the mean reduction of stretch mark score is -0.33 with a sample standard deviation of 2.46.  Describe wha

  • Q : Problem on Poisson distribution The

    The number of trucks coming to a certain warehouse each day follows the Poisson distribution with λ= 8. The warehouse can handle a maximum of 12 trucks a day. What is the probability that on a given day one or more trucks have to be sent away? Round the answer

  • Q : Problem on Chebyshevs theorem 1. Prove

    1. Prove that the law of iterated expectations for continuous random variables.2. Prove that the bounds in Chebyshev's theorem cannot be improved upon. I.e., provide a distribution which satisfies the bounds exactly for k ≥1, show that it satisfies the

  • Q : Error probability As of last year, only

    As of last year, only 20% of the employees in an organization used public transportation to commute to and from work. To determine if a recent campaign encouraging the use of public transportation has been effective, a random sample of 25 employees is to be interviewe

  • Q : Bayesian Point Estimation What are the

    What are the Bayesian Point of estimation and what are the process of inference in Bayesian statistics?