Abstract:
    This paper  describes  an experimental  survey  of insurance  preferences,  adminis-
tered  to  college students  and  clients  of an  insurance  agency.  Expected  utility  theory  is
contrasted  with prospect  theory, a recently  developed  alternative  model  of choice.
The results lend more support  to prospect  theory than utility theory. However,
insurance  decisions appear  more  complex  than  either  model  suggests. The findings
support  earlier  field and  laboratory  studies  highlighting  people's  limited  abilities  to
process  information.  Further  research  is needed  to understand  better  the  influence  of
financial  status,  statistical  knowledge,  cognitive  style, and  context  and  format  effects
on insurance  purchasing  decisions.

This paper  describes  an experimental  survey  of insurance  preferences,  adminis-
tered  to  college students  and  clients  of an  insurance  agency.  Expected  utility  theory  is
contrasted  with prospect  theory, a recently  developed  alternative  model  of choice.
The results lend more support  to prospect  theory than utility theory. However,
insurance  decisions appear  more  complex  than  either  model  suggests. The findings
support  earlier  field and  laboratory  studies  highlighting  people's  limited  abilities  to
process  information.  Further  research  is needed  to understand  better  the  influence  of
financial  status,  statistical  knowledge,  cognitive  style, and  context  and  format  effects
on insurance  purchasing  decisions.