Robert applied for health insurance but did not mention in the application form that his family has a history of heart ailments that are considered to be hereditary. What will happen if several customers like Robert purchase the insurance?
What will be an ideal response?
A person like Robert with a family history of heart ailments is more likely to fall ill. Insurance companies require higher premiums to cover the health expenses of such high-risk individuals, but if premiums are high, a person with a lower chance of falling ill will not buy the insurance. If several customers like Robert buy the insurance, the premium will continue to rise, forcing all low-risk individuals to stay out of the market. This is an example of adverse selection in the insurance market.
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Which of the following is an example of moral hazard?
A) I hire you to work in my garden for a fixed fee, and you work hard all day. B) I hire you to work at an hourly rate and you work as slowly as possible. C) You apply for the job only because I pay a fixed wage per day, no matter how much or little you do. D) You agree to be paid by the weed to work in my garden, and then don't work hard.
Briefly evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a lump-sum tax