Question

Suppose you found out that the Japanese are on the verge of introducing their own mayonnaise substitute next month. Sam does not know this and has just turned down your final offer for the insurance. Assume that Sam tells you SCAM is only six months away from perfecting its mayonnaise substitute and that you know what you know about the Japanese. Would you raise or lower your policy premium on any subsequent proposal to​ Sam? Based on his​ information, would Sam​ accept? A. You would raise your policy premium substantially and Sam would not accept because he​ doesn't know about the Japanese. B. You would raise your policy premium substantially and Sam would accept because the higher premium would signal there was a greater chance of a loss. C. You would not offer Sam a policy at any premium because given the new​ information, Sam will almost certainly sustain a loss.

Answer 1

Answer: A. You would raise your policy premium substantially and Sam would not accept because he​ doesn't know about the Japanese.

Explanation:

In such a scenario as the one described above, the best option as an Insurance Agent is indeed to raise premiums substantially.

As the Japanese will most probably get to market first with the new Mayonnaise Substitute, they will have the rights to it's invention and could even patent it.

This means that Sam and SCAM will most likely suffer a loss as a result of this.

As there is such a high chance of loss, charging a substantially higher premium to enable coverage is only logical and makes business sense.

Sam does not know however that the Japanese are so far ahead and having rejected a substantially lower offer, will reject the newer, substantially higher one as well.