close

Christian Biener

Christian Biener

Christian Biener

Prof. Dr.

Associate Professor of Behavioral Risk Management

I.VW-HSG
Tannenstrasse 19

9000 St Gallen
Fields of research

Psychology and economics and Experimental Research in Insurance

Decision-making under risk and uncertainty

Normative and behavioral insurance economics

Health Insurance

Inclusive insurance

Further fields of research

Behavioral implications of technology

Teaching Activities

Current:  

  • Decision Making under Risk and Uncertainty (MA, University of St.Gallen)
  • History of Finance (MA, University of St.Gallen)
  • Impact and Welfare Consequences of Insurance (MA, University of St.Gallen)
  • Topics in Behavioral and Experimental Research (PhD, University of St.Gallen)
  • Psychology of Risk (BC, University of St.Gallen)
  • CAS Customer and Sales Excellence in Insurance (executive, academic director)
  • St.Galler AssekuranzForum (executive, University of St.Gallen, academic director)
  • DAS Insurance Management (executive, University of St.Gallen, module lead)
  • Executive Master HSG Insurance and Financial Services (executive, University of St.Gallen)
  • CAS Management for the Legal Profession (executive, University of St.Gallen)
  • Various inhouse executive programs (executive, University of St.Gallen)

Past:

  • Experimental Research in Risk and Insurance (PhD, University of St.Gallen), guest lecturer
  • Value Based Management in Insurance (MA, University of St.Gallen)
  • Vulnerability of Financial Systems (MA, University of St.Gallen), guest lecturer
Projects

Basic research projects:

  • Insuring Health: Individual Decision-Making and Insurer Competition (funded by Swiss National Science Foundation)
  • The Role of the Intestinal Microbiome in Explaining Economic Preferences (funded by Swiss National Science Foundation)
  • Identifying Risk and Ambiguity Preferences Free from Context (funded by Swiss National Science Foundation)
  • Identifying Risk and Ambiguity Preferences Free from Context (funded by University of St. Gallen Research Fund)
  • Experimental Studies in Microinsurance Markets (funded by Swiss National Science Foundation)
  • Driving Growth: The Role of Insurance in Poverty Reduction and the Impact of Regulation on Insurance Market Development (funded by Swiss National Science Foundation)
  • Microinsurance and Efficiency in the Insurance Industry (funded by German Research Foundation)
  • Risky Choice in a Non-WEIRD Sample: A Model Comparison Study 
  • Risk Premium Project (funded by Casualty Actuarial Society)
  • Productivity and Efficiency in the Swiss Insurance Industry (funded by University of St. Gallen Research Fund)

Practice-based projects:

  • The Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health utilization, commissioned for Santésuisse
  • «Skills der Zukunft» für die Assekuranz, commissioned for Swiss Insurance Association (SIA)
  • Heterogeneity in Behavioral Biases - A Review of the Literature (for Swiss Re)
  • An Earth obseRvation Model based ricE smart information Service (ERMES) (within European Union FP7)
  • Strategic Outcome Monitoring Concept for the RIICE Programme (for Allianz Re, SDC, and GIZ)
  • Cyber Risk: Risikomanagement und Versicherbarkeit (for  Kessler & Co. AG)
  • Generationensolidarität in der Krankenversicherung: Die Auswirkungen der demografischen Entwicklung auf die Krankenversicherung in der Schweiz (for  Swiss Insurance Association)
  • Der Generationenvertrag in Gefahr: Eine Analyse der Transfers von Jung nach Alt in der Schweiz (for Swiss Insurance Association) 
Awards
  • 2016 Inclusion in 40-Years Anniversary Collection of most relevant publications in the Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance (paper: Insurability in Microinsurance Markets: An Analysis of Problems and Potential Solutions, Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance, 37(1): 77–107).  
  • 2014 Shin Research Excellence Award, awarded by the Geneva Association and the International Insurance Society (IIS) for “Insurability of Cyber Risk: An Empirical Analysis” (with Martin Eling and Jan Wirfs)
  • 2012 Dissertation Award, awarded by University of Ulm Society (UUG) 
    for “Essays on Microinsurance: Efficiency, Insurability, and Pricing”
Additional Information

Referee activity:

  • European Journal of Finance
  • European Journal of Law and Economics
  • European Journal of Operational Research
  • Experimental Economics
  • Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance
  • Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics
  • Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management
  • Journal of the Economics of Ageing
  • Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization
  • Journal of the European Economic Association
  • Journal of Insurance Issues
  • Journal of Public Economics
  • Journal of Risk and Insurance
  • Risk Management and Insurance Review
  • Transactions on Internet Technology

Program committees:

  • World Risk and Insurance Economics Congress (WRIEC)
  • Annual Conference of the Swiss Society for Financial Market Research

Third-party funding:

  • 2023-2026: Insuring Health: Individual Decision-Making and Insurer Competition, fundamental research project funding of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
  • 2022: Social Norms and Insurance Fraud, fundamental research project funding of the University of St. Gallen Research Fund (GFF)
  • 2019-2023: Identifying Risk and Ambiguity Preferences Free from Context, fundamental research project funding of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), with Thomas Epper
  • 2018: Identifying Risk and Ambiguity Preferences Free from Context, fundamental research project funding of the University of St. Gallen Research Fund (GFF), with Thomas Epper
  • 2015: Driving Growth: The Role of Insurance in Poverty Reduction and the Impact of Regulation on Insurance Market Development, scholarship for research visit funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
  • 2012-2015: Experimental Studies in Microinsurance Markets, fundamental research project funding of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), with Martin Eling
  • 2012-2013: Productivity and Efficiency in the Swiss Insurance Industry, fundamental research project funding of the University of St. Gallen Research Fund (GFF), with Martin Eling
north