Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Title: Drivers of Switching in Autoinsurance: Evidence from Observable and Exogenous Consideration Sets
Author-Name: Helena Perrone
Author-Email: helenaperrone@uni-mannheim.de
Author-Name: Fabricio Valiati
Author-Email: fabricio.gvaliati@gmail.com
Classification-JEL: l4,k2
Keywords: insurance, price disperison, switching costs, choice sets

Abstract: This paper studies switching behavior and its determinants in auto-insurance markets using a dataset that includes information on policyholder choices and their consideration sets,
including alternative contract prices. We show that disregarding consumers' consideration sets and the price of alternative offers, especially the premium offered by the previous
insurance at renewal, leads to an overestimation of choice inertia and an understatement of consumer price responsiveness. We also find that previous claim history is a primary
determinant of switching behavior, even after controlling for premium differentials and observed and unobserved characteristics of the contract and insurers. Our empirical evidence is
consistent with choice inertia driven by learning about the true quality of the firm's service.


Note: 
Length: 21
Creation-Date: 2025-02
Revision-Date:
File-URL: https://www.crctr224.de/research/discussion-papers/archive/dp646
File-Format: application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:bon:boncrc:CRCTR224_2025_646