Criteria for the future division of labor between private and social health insurance.
This article's point of departure is that the individual has to manage three stochastic assets, namely health, wealth, and wisdom (skills), which tend to be positively correlated. It shows that the unexpected components of insurance payments should be negatively correlated for minimizing total asset volatility. The empirical finding is that in the United States, Japan, and Germany, the lines of social insurance contribute less to diversification than do those of private insurance. The article concludes with suggestions for new, umbrella-type insurance contracts that in the future should help individuals in the efficient management of their assets.
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Socioeconomic Institute, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
D005858:Germany; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends*; D007348:Insurance, Health; D007352:Insurance, Life; D007564:Japan; D009313:National Health Programs; D017149:Private Sector; D012943:Social Security; D014481:United States; D014942:Workers' Compensation