Abstract:
This thesis describes the relationships between insurance, economic activity and entrepreneurship; it develops a theoretical framework and a testable hypothesis to verify the impact of insurance coverage on entrepreneurship as well as the impact of "social insurance" (e.g., health and unemployment insurance provided by government programs) on entrepreneurship. The relationship between insurance and entrepreneurship is tested with panel data from Brazil. The findings indicate that policy makers should pursue the development of insurance markets to strengthen entrepreneurship and spur economic growth. The study opens up a number of opportunities for future work and research.
