1. If your business has suffered a financial loss through no fault
of your own, or if you’re experiencing payment delays, then
ourTrade Credit services can help. And if you are looking to
expand into new sectors or international markets then we
can provide vital business information and security against
the risks that are often associated with business growth.
We have two expert teams to provide the right support and
analytical capabilities to both UK and multinational clients.
Credit insurance provides the most complete protection
against payment default of any credit management tool.
Tayside Engineering & Construction Supplies (TECS) is a well-
established business supplying materials to large construction
companies all over Scotland. It had one customer in particular
who accounted for approximately 50% of the company’s turnover.
Whilst this was positive in that,TECS could always count on
either advanced or 30 day payment terms from this customer
and therefore plan future expansion, if anything happened to the
customer it represented a considerable risk to the business.
TheTrade Credit team helped find a policy that coveredTECS in
the event that this customer, or any other, defaulted on payment
or became insolvent. When the customer did fail,TECS was able
to recoup the loss and continue to grow its business by winning
new customers across Scotland. Importantly, the cash-flow
was replaced within 30 days from the date of the customer’s
insolvency.
Simon Pickering, Managing Director ofTayside Engineering &
Construction Supplies says: ‘Thanks to theTrade Credit team
taking the time to understand our business, they provided a
solution that helped secure our future when such a big customer
of ours stopped trading. David Hughes and his team went out
of their way to help us, not just finding the right insurance policy
but acting as our advocate with other third parties to ensure the
losses were fully recovered. I can’t speak highly enough of the
expertise and service we received from them.’
Credit insurance is primarily a tool that will help you optimise your business’
credit management. In these uncertain economic times it helps protect your
debtor book against the risk of nonpayment and insolvency.
Policies will vary depending on the size of your business and the trade sector
in which you operate. Our specialist team can tailor the solution to your
specific requirements.
Trade Credit Insurance
expect more
Our Products and Services
Why choose trade credit insurance?
We work across all commercial
sectors with particular strength in
the following industries:
• Manufacturing
• Financial services
• Heavy industry
• Construction
• Distribution
• Leasing
Our products and services include:
• Credit insurance
• Multi-Buyer
• Domestic/Export/Political Risk
• Trade Finance
• Surety Bonds
• Special Risks
• Single Risk Insurance
Howden UK Group Limited
71 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 4BS, United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)20 7133 1300 E: info@howdengroup.com
www.howdengroup.com
Financial Lines
Howden is a trading name of Howden UK Group Limited, part of the Hyperion Insurance Group. Howden UK Group Limited is
authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of general insurance business. Registered in England
and Wales under company registration number 725875. Registered Office: 16 Eastcheap, London EC3M 1BD. Calls may be
monitored and recorded for quality assurance purposes. Ref:3492 11/15
Part of the Hyperion Insurance Group
• Lower borrowing rates and increased funding:You can enhance your business
capacity for borrowing by converting the sales ledger into a more secure
asset. Assigning insured trade receivables to a lender can improve the lending
proposition, and could lead to increased funding and reduced costs.
• Better cash flow and reduced costs:Trade credit insurance provides a robust
discipline to credit risk assessment and credit management. Credit insured
businesses collection of trade debts averages four days better than non-insured,
thus improving cash flow and reducing cost.
(Source:The Credit Management Research Centre.)
• Debt collection services: Insurers offer global debt collection services that can
replace the need for third party collection agents and legal support.
Simon Pickering Managing Director
Tayside Engineering & Construction Supplies

2. Commitment to long term
relationships
Credit analysts
Howden believe in creating successful and enduring client relationships.This
means being informed and accessible to assist at any time during in the
business cycle.
Our detailed understanding of a client’s business can be invaluable at any time
of the year and at any point in the business cycle.This means we offer advice
specifically tailored to their current circumstances.
The focus on customers goes hand in hand with a commitment internally to
develop the next generation of credit insurance experts. New team members
bring fresh ideas and innovative thinking to always challenge the status quo.
R K Harrison, now merged with Howden, was awarded Chartered Insurance
broker status in 2014 by the Chartered Insurance Institute, a testament to on-
going commitment to expert advice and execution.
Don’t underestimate the impact of debt. Sadly, a lot of companies do.
But even a relatively small debt can have big implications. For example, a
£5,000 bad debt arising from the collapse of a customer might not sound
so bad.Yet a company working to a 10% gross profit margin would have to
increase sales by £50,000 over the year, just to recoup the monies lost!
As part of our service to corporate clients, we decided to go one step further
in addressing the industry’s general lack of up to date market, trade sector and
specific customer information.
We have recruited a team of credit analysts who can provide clients with invaluable
market intelligence, to help them gain that all important competitive advantage.
This service has been very successful, with many examples of clients benefiting
from the input of an analyst. In a few cases clients have decided to use the
analysts’ services as an alternative to restrictive credit insurance.
Howden’s UKTrade Credit have supportedTarmac
through changes within our business, from the
merger between Lafarge andTarmac to the current
sale to CRH.They have assisted with limit vetting,
overdue account analysis and claims settlement.
They are always prepared to assist with any ad
hoc problems and their service is, in our opinion,
unrivalled in the Credit Broking fraternity. In addition,
the detailed customer reports that they supply have
helped us obtain improved Insurance cover not
normally available. When this has not been possible
they have given us further in depth knowledge of our
customer to help us in making commercial decisions
on our trading levels. An extremely useful extra tool
to help our credit vetting process.
Richard Smith BA (Hons) MICM AICM (Cert)
TarmacTrading Ltd