Answer:
The answer is:
Lay-off workers in "low-tech facility" i.e. $12 per claim.
Explanation:
It is the cost, that the producer has to bear irrespective of the level of production.
It is the cost that alters with the changes with the changes in the production level.
The insurance firm has two facilities for claim process:
1: High-tech facility - new
2: Low-tech facility - old
Claims handled in a month = 10,000
Fixed costs = $100,000
Variable costs = $100,000
Claims handled in a month = 2,000
Fixed costs = $16,000
Variable costs = $24,000
The fixed costs have to be borne, because they are unavoidable, but the variable costs can be ignored.
In high-tech facility, average variable cost per claim = $100,000/10,000 = $10 per claim
In low-tech facility, average variable cost per claim = $24,000/2,000 = $12 per claim
If there is a decrease in the number of claims, the workers should be laid-off in low-tech facility, because variable cost per claim is higher in low-tech facility i.e. $12 per claim.
This will help in reducing the costs.