Skip to main content
Log in

Economics at the FTC: The Google-DoubleClick Merger, Resale Price Maintenance, Mortgage Disclosures, and Credit Scoring in Auto Insurance

  • Published:
Review of Industrial Organization Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Economics at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) supports both the competition and consumer protection missions of the agency. In this year’s essay we discuss competition activity with a summary of our work on the Google-DoubleClick merger and recent activity on resale price maintenance, an area in which FTC economists had done significant prior research. On the consumer policy front, we discuss our study of ways to improve mortgage disclosures to facilitate consumer shopping and competition. Finally, we discuss our study of the effects of credit scoring on prices paid for auto insurance with a focus on the effects of scores on different racial and ethnic groups.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Carlton D., Waldman M. (2002) The strategic use of tying to preserve and create market power in evolving industries. Rand Journal of Economics 33: 194–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choi J.P., Stefanadis C. (2001) Tying, investment, and the dynamic leverage theory. Rand Journal of Economics 32: 52–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper J., Froeb L., O’Brien D., Vita M. (2005) Vertical antitrust policy as a problem of inference. International Journal of Industrial Organization 23: 639–664

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2008). Commission clears proposed acquisition of DoubleClick by Google. Retrieved 11 March 2008, from http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/426.

  • Federal Trade Commission. (2007a). Credit-based insurance scores: Impacts on consumers of automobile insurance. Retrieved 23 May 2008, from FTC Web site: http://www.ftc.gov/os/2007/07/P044804FACTA_Report_Credit-Based_Insurance_Scores.pdf.

  • Federal Trade Commission. (2007b). Statement concerning Google/DoubleClick, FTC File No. 071-170. Retrieved 4 September 2008 from FTC Web site: http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/0710170/071220statement.pdf.

  • Ippolito P.M. (1991) Resale price maintenance: Empirical evidence from litigation. Journal of Law & Economics 34: 263–294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ippolito P.M., Overstreet T.R. (1996) Resale price maintenance: An economic assessment of the Federal Trade Commission’s case against the corning glass works. Journal of Law & Economics 39: 285–328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kabler, B. (2004). Insurance-based credit-scores: Impact on minority and low income populations in Missouri. Retrieved 4 September 2008 from the State of Missouri Department of Insurance Web site: http://www.insurance.mo.gov/reports/credscore.pdf.

  • Kovacic W.E. (2006) Using ex post evaluations to improve the performance of competition policy authorities. The Journal of Corporation Law 31: 505–547

    Google Scholar 

  • Lacko, J. M., & Pappalardo, J. K. (2004). The effect of mortgage broker compensation disclosures on consumers and competition: A controlled experiment. Bureau of Economics Staff Report, Federal Trade Commission. Retrieved 16 May 2008, from FTC Web site: http://www.ftc.gov/os/2004/01/030123mortgagefullrpt.pdf.

  • Lacko, J. M., & Pappalardo, J. K. (2007). Improving consumer mortgage disclosures, an empirical assessment of current and prototype disclosure forms. Bureau of Economics Staff Report, Federal Trade Commission. Retrieved 16 May 2008, from FTC Web site: http://www.ftc.gov/os/2007/06/P025505MortgageDisclosureReport.pdf.

  • Lafferty, R., Lande, R., & Kirkwood, J. (Eds.) (1984). Impact evaluations of Federal Trade Commission vertical restraints cases. Staff Report, Federal Trade Commission.

  • Lafontaine F., Slade M.E. (2007) Vertical integration and firm boundaries: The evidence. Journal of Economic Literature 45: 629–685

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lafontaine F., Slade M.E. (2008) Exclusive contracts and vertical restraints: Empirical evidence and public policy. In: Buccirossi P. (eds) Handbook of antitrust economics. MIT Press, Cambridge, pp 391–414

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, M. J., & Smith, R. A. (2003). The relationship of credit-based insurance scores to private passenger automobile insurance loss propensity: An actuarial study by EPIC Actuaries, LLC. Retrieved 4 September 2008 from http://www.progressive.com/shop/EPIC_CreditScores.pdf.

  • Monaghan, J. N. (2000). The impact of personal credit history on loss performance in personal lines. Casualty Actuarial Society Ratemaking Discussion Paper (Paper presented at the Winter 2000 CAS forum). Retrieved 4 September 2008 fromhttp://www.casact.org/pubs/forum/00wforum/00wf079.pdf.

  • Neven, D., & Albaek, S. (2008). Antitrust update: DG Competition 2007–2008. Review of Industrial Organization, 33 (this issue).

  • Overstreet, T. R. (November 1983). Resale price maintenance: Economic theories and empirical evidence. Bureau of Economics Staff Report, Federal Trade Commission.

  • Texas Department of Insurance. (2004). Use of credit information by insurers in Texas.

  • Texas Department of Insurance. (2005). Use of credit information by insurers in Texas: The multivariate analysis (supplemental report).

  • Whinston M. (1990) Tying, foreclosure, and exclusion. American Economic Review 80: 837–859

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael R. Baye.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Baye, M.R., Barenstein, M., Holt, D.J. et al. Economics at the FTC: The Google-DoubleClick Merger, Resale Price Maintenance, Mortgage Disclosures, and Credit Scoring in Auto Insurance. Rev Ind Organ 33, 211–230 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11151-008-9183-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11151-008-9183-y

Keywords

Navigation