The failure to be paid by clients and customers - credit risk - is a common problem that affects virtually all businesses.

Risk exposures can be basic in nature - the financial difficulties a client is experiencing - or can arise because of broader developments - a natural catastrophe in a foreign country, for instance.

Critical questions you need to consider

• Do you conduct a large proportion of business with only a few clients, or export to only one or two countries, heightening the credit risk you face?

• Are you aware of the full range of credit insurance products that exist?

• Could you benefit from buying cover at group level, to improve quality of cover, consistency in policy terms and value for premium spent?