Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/120795 
Year of Publication: 
2014
Series/Report no.: 
Staff Report No. 692
Publisher: 
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, New York, NY
Abstract: 
Weather is a key source of income risk, particularly in emerging market economies. This paper uses a randomized controlled trial involving a sample of Indian farmers to study how an innovative rainfall insurance product affects production decisions. We find that insurance provision induces farmers - particular ly educated farmers - to shift production toward higher-return but higher-risk cash crops. Our results support the view that financial innovation can mitigate the real effects of uninsured production risk. Addressing the puzzle of low adoption, we show that pay outs improve trust in the product and that farmers shield payouts from claims by relatives.
Subjects: 
risk management
financial constraints
JEL: 
G22
G32
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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