Questions

The life-cycle theory of consumption, popularly known as life-cycle hypothesis,' was developed by Ando and Modigliani" in the early 1960s.

The life-cycle hypothesis postulates that individual consumption in any time period depends on

(i) resources available to the individual,

(ii) the rate of return on his capital, and

(iii) the age of the individual.

The resources available to an individual consist of his existing net wealth and the present value of all his current and future labour incomes. According to the life-cycle hypothesis, a rational consumer plans consumption on the basis of all his resources and allocates his income to consumption over time so that he maximizes his total utility over his life time.

All vehicle insurance policies will now include personal accident cover worth Rs 15 lakh in case of the death of the owner while driving or riding. This new rule will help the families of accident victims especially two-wheeler riders who are most of the time under-insured. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) in a circular has directed all third-party insurance companies to include this cover to vehicle owners-drivers of all vehicles (two-wheelers, three-wheelers, passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles) for an additional premium of Rs 750 per year (annual insurance policy). This will now be part of the mandatory insurance cover that is a must for all vehicle owners.