Individual prediction of automobile bodily injury claims liabilities

Most motor bodily injury (BI) claims are settled by negotiation, with fewer than 5% of cases going to court. A well-defined negotiation strategy is thus very useful for insurance companies. In this paper we assume that the monetary compensation awarded in court is the upper amount to be offered by the insurer in the negotiation process. Using a real database, a log-linear model is implemented to estimate the maximal offer. Non-spherical disturbances are detected. Correlation occurs when various claims are settled in the same judicial verdict. Groupwise heteroscedasticity is due to the influence of the forensic valuation on the final compensation amount.multivariate statistics, negotiation process, generalized confidence intervals

Is the matching function Cobb-Douglas?

We study the theoretical properties that particular matching functions must satisfy to represent a frictional labor market within a general equilibrium random matching model. We analyze Cobb-Douglas, CES and other functional forms of the matching function. Our findings establish restrictions on the parameters of these matching functions to ensure that the equilibrium is interior. These restrictions provide both theoretical reasons to choose among several functional forms and model misspecification tests for empirical work.interior equilibrium, random matching, matching function, cobbdouglas

Welfare spending and ethnic heterogeneity: Evidence from a massive immigration wave

The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between ethnic heterogeneity and redistribution, by using the recent and massive arrival of immigrants in Spain. Specifically, we focus on the effect of changes in immigrant density, recorded between 1998 and 2006, on contemporaneous changes in municipal welfare spending. We instrument for immigrant density using established settlement patterns per country of origin so as to assign predicted flows of immigrants to municipalities. We find that welfare spending increased less in those municipalities that recorded the largest increases in immigrant density. We also provide evidence of a positive relationship between immigrant density and the vote share accruing to right-wing parties. Hence, our results are consistent with theories that predict a negative relationship between ethnic heterogeneity and redistribution.welfare spending, ethnic heterogeneity, redistribution, immigration

Santa María de la Antigua del Darién : un enclave español en el Darién colombiano del siglo XVI

Jornadas de Jóvenes en Investigación Arqueológica, JIA (3as : 5-7 de mayo 2010 : Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona). Sesión 4. Cultura material y transdisciplinariedad en la investigación arqueológica de Latinoamérica .Tomando como línea de investigación la Arqueología Histórica o Arqueología Colonial, se ha tomado como estudio de caso el sitio arqueológico de Santa María de la Antigua del Darién, ubicado en territorio colombiano. Este corresponde a una de las primeras fundaciones estratégicas con título Real de "ciudad" en lo que se conoció como "Tierra Firme". Con base en el material arqueológico y las fuentes etnohistóricas, se puede inferir un urbanismo incipiente, aunque la distribución espacial aun se desconoce. Para esta investigación se tomara como punto de apoyo el estudio arqueométrico de la cerámica de manufactura nativa y extranjera. Este breve informe mostrará como la presencia española del siglo XVI en la región del Darién colombiano, fue fundamental para desplegar la empresa conquistadora por el interior del continente centro y sur americano. Santa María de la Antigua del Darién es clave para adentrarnos en el complejo tema de las primeras fundaciones europeas y la colonia en América.This report is based on research line the historical archaeology or colonial archaeology, and taken as the archaeological site of Santa Maria de la Antigua del Darién as case study in Colombia. This corresponds to one of the first strategic foundations with royal title of "city" in a territory known as "Tierra Firme". Based on archaeological material and ethnohistorical sources, infer an urban incipient, but spatial distribution is still unknown. Arqueometrics studies about ceramic manufacturing native and foreign is taken as support for this research. This brief presentation will show the presence of the Spanish in the 16th century in the Colombian Darién region, was essential to deploy the company conquering through the interior of the continent Central and South American. Santa Maria de la Antigua del Darién is key to delving into the complex subject of the first European foundations and the colony in America.Prenent com a línia d'investigació l'Arqueologia Històrica o Arqueologia Colonial, s'ha res om a estudi el cas el lloc arqueològic de Santa María de la Antigua del Darién, ubicat en territori colombià. Aquest correspon a una de les primeres fundacions estratègiques amb títol Reial de "ciutat, el qual es va conèixer com a "Tierra Firme". Amb la base en el material arqueològic i les fonts entnohistòriques, es pot inferir en l'urbanisme incipient, encara que la distribució espaial encara es desconeix. Per aquesta investigació es prendrà om a unt de recolzament l'estudi arqueomètric de la ceràmica de manufactura nadiua i estrangera. Aquest breu informe mostrarà com la presència espanyola del segle XVI a la regió del Darien colombià fou fonamental er a desplegar l'empresa conqueridora er l'interior del continent entre i sud americà. Santa María de la Antigua del Darién es clau per endinsar-nos n el complex tema de les fundacions europees i la colònia a Amèrica

Transformation kernel density estimation of actuarial loss functions

A transformation kernel density estimator that is suitable for heavy-tailed distributions is discussed. Using a truncated Beta transformation, the choice of the bandwidth parameter becomes straightforward. An application to insurance data and the calculation of the value-at-risk are presented.non-parametric methods, heavy-tailed distributions, value at risk

Code of good research practices

Podeu consultar la versió en català a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/28542 i en castellà a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/28543As stated in its Statutes, one of the University of Barcelona's (UB) priority objectives is to carry out the highest level of research. This quality research should contribute to the following: progress in all knowledge areas, qualityof-life improvements, environmental preservation and improvement, the promotion of peace, the elimination of social and economic inequalities between individuals and peoples, and scientific and artistic progress in general. The equal opportunities of women and men are respected in all of these areas. The University does not participate in research projects that are incompatible with this objective. In particular, it does not take part in projects that could contribute to the arms race. The UB ensures that all of its research is of a high quality. To achieve this, it evaluates studies undertaken by individuals, research groups and any other forms of research collaboration (Article 100.6, University of Barcelona Statutes). The entities in the UB Group are responsible for ensuring that all of their research is undertaken in accordance with the current legislation and using good scientific practices

Report on the academic year 2014-2015. The University of Barcelona

Podeu consultar la versió en català a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/69109 i la versió en castellà a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/10860

La Universitat de Barcelona i la lliure difusió del coneixement

Aprovat per la Comissió de Política Científica el 17 de setembre de 2007, Presentat a aprovació de Consell de Govern el 18 de febrer de 2008L’objectiu d’aquest document és disposar d’uns criteris institucionals sobre les qüestions referents a la lliure difusió del coneixement que ha estat generat per la Universitat de Barcelona i pels membres de la comunitat universitària, en la línia del que estan fent la majoria d’universitats i de grans centres de recerca d’arreu del món