Developments in Risk and Insurance Economics: the Past 25 Years

The paper reviews the evolution in insurance economics over the past 25 years, by first recalling the situation in 1973, then presenting the developments and new approaches which flourished since then. The paper argues that these developments were only possible because steady advances were made in the economics of risk and uncertainty and in financial theory. Insurance economics has grown in importance to become a central theme in modern economics, providing not only practical examples to illustrate new theories, but also inspiring new ideas of relevance for the general economy.