Significance of a credit limit and trade credit insurance in Poland

Abstract

This study indicates the nature of changes in trade credit insurance in Poland. These changes have been caused by sudden deterioration in the macroeconomic situation in Poland, which, after 2008, led to the decrease in the effectiveness of businesses, including trade credit insurance companies. This study is a review of issues concerning trade credit, risk, and ways of reducing it. The significance of trade credit insurance as an effective tool of securing receivables is emphasised, but this is followed by a discussion of the disadvantages of using a classical trade credit insurance in the period of recession or a weak market, which makes insurance companies reduce the risk by reducing insurance limits, making the product ineffective. The result of this is a decrease in effectiveness of both, the insurance companies as well as the users of trade credit insurance. Therefore, insurers are now offering a new product called a high-risk trade credit insurance. This new insurance product satisfies clients’ expectations and constitutes a very good basis for further development of the insurance market in Poland. It not only allows the creditor to develop sales in safe conditions, and the debtor to benefit from a constant access to the capital in the form of a trade credit, but also stimulates sales of additional insurance products, thus generating extra income for insurance companies. In short, it is beneficial to all the actors on the insurance market. To sum up, in the author’s opinion, high-risk trade credit insurance is an excellent solution which insurance companies have developed in response to the deteriorating economic situation, and it may considerably increase the role of trade credit insurance in Poland.