In: Statistics and Probability
You own a house that is valued at $500,000. The probability of a house fire in your area is 0.0002, and if a house fire happens, your home’s value will be reduced to $0. You are considering buying an insurance for your house. In case of fire, the insurance company will pay you $300,000. Ignore depreciation, taxes, etc. of your house in the following calculations. What is the expected values of your home without insurance and your home if the insurance is free?
Solution:
The expected value of your home without insurance is:
Therefore, the expected value of your home without insurance is -$100
The expected value of your home with free insurance is:
Therefore, the expected value of your home with free insurance is $60