Producers' Yield and Yield Risk: Perceptions versus Reality and Crop Insurance Use

Using survey data from 258 Illinois corn farmers, we investigate the relationship between subjective and objective yield measures and their effect on the use of crop insurance. Our findings show that producers view themselves as better than average with respect to yields and in terms of their variability, and that over- and underconfidence also influence their use of crop insurance. The effects are not symmetric, overconfidence is primarily reflected in the larger-than-average yield, while underconfidence emerges mainly in the larger-than-average variability. Crop insurance use is further affected by risk preferences and county yield variability.