Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/93361 
Year of Publication: 
2014
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 7984
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Do migrants send remittances as a way of obtaining insurance? While this motive is theoretically suggested in the literature, the question of identifying this relationship empirically has only begun to be explored. Using a unique representative survey of 1500 immigrants in the Greater Dublin Area, Ireland, we find a positive and significant relationship between risk aversion and remittance behavior. Risk-averse individuals are more likely to send remittances home and are, on average, likely to remit a higher amount, after controlling for a broad range of individual and group characteristics. Consistent with a purchase of self-insurance motive to remit, we also provide evidence of more remittances sent by risk averse immigrants facing higher wage risks and remitting to individuals with more financial resources.
Subjects: 
migration
risk aversion
remittances
insurance
JEL: 
D81
F22
F24
J01
J08
J15
J61
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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