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2008•RePEc: Research Papers in EconomicsRequires access

Cosigners as Collateral

Stefan Klonner, Ashok Rai

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Abstract

We investigate the role of cosigners as collateral using data from a South Indian financial institution. Using an exogenous change in the cosigner requirement, we establish a negative causal effect of cosigners on defaults: an increase in the number of cosigners reduces defaults all these equal. Our results suggest that a one-sixth increase in the number of cosigners reduces the incidence of a default by 7.5 percent. While most theories of collateral predict that increased cosigners will reduce defaults, we are first to find empirical evidence of this effect.

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We investigate the role of cosigners as collateral using data from a South Indian financial institution. Using an exogenous change in the cosigner requirement, we establish a negative causal effect of cosigners on defaults: an increase in the number of cosigners reduces defaults all these equal. Our results suggest that a one-sixth increase in the number of cosigners reduces the incidence of a default by 7.5 percent. While most theories of collateral predict that increased cosigners will reduce defaults, we are first to find empirical evidence of this effect.

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Available abstract

We investigate the role of cosigners as collateral using data from a South Indian financial institution. Using an exogenous change in the cosigner requirement, we establish a negative causal effect of cosigners on defaults: an increase in the number of cosigners reduces defaults all these equal. Our results suggest that a one-sixth increase in the number of cosigners reduces the incidence of a default by 7.5 percent. While most theories of collateral predict that increased cosigners will reduce defaults, we are first to find empirical evidence of this effect.

Key concepts: Collateral, Default, Economics, Collateral damage, Empirical evidence, Actuarial science, Business, Monetary economics

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