RISK PREMIUM: This has two very closely related uses. First, it's what risk averse people are willing to pay to avoid a risky situation. For example, if you would be equally happy with a guaranteed $900 or a 50-50 chance of getting either $500 or $1,500, then you're risk premium is $100. Second, it's the extra percentage points added to an interest rate to compensate for the risk of a loan. As a general rule, each 1 percent chance of default on a loan adds a risk premium of about 1 percent to the interest rate. See also | risk | uncertainty | income | insurance | profit | risk loving | risk neutral | risk neutral | risk pooling | entrepreneurship | hedging | financial market | interest rate | bankruptcy | profit |