New Zealand Export Credit Office
Last updated on 22 Feb 2024
Key facts
Official government-backed agency within Treasury facilitating internationalization of New Zealand companies by providing trade credit insurance and financial guarantees.
PUBLIC
2001
Credit rating (sovereign) (S&P)
AA+
Foreign currency
Authorizations, exposure, and country export data
FY 2023 authorizations top products
Short term credit
82%
Loan guarantee
10%
Contract bond
6%
Export credit guarantee
1%
Surety bond guarantee
1%
2022 export destinations
Financing modalities
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Up to 100%
Products
- Covers risk of a foreign buyer or foreign bank failing to make credit payments
- Policy options:
- Direct trade credit insurance: Issued to exporter where exporter has been declined cover on a foreign buyer by a private trade credit insurer
- Top-up: Policy issued directly to the exporter seeking an increase to the buyer limit in excess of amount provided by private trade credit insurer
- L/C guarantee: Issued to exporter’s bank to confirm L/C issued by foreign bank
- Coverage:
- Direct trade: Between 80% and 90% for commercial and political risks
- Letter of credit confirmation: Up to 100% cover
- Excludes disputes
- Tenor: Maximum 360 days; usually less than 120 days
- Fees:
- Upon application approval, a premium is charged and must be paid prior to start of export contract
- Premium based on commercial risk, political risk, tenor, and payment structure of export transaction
- Minimum assessment fee NZD 500 per buyer limit
- Guarantee to supplier’s bank
- Use of proceeds typically to support:
- Seasonal, multiple, or large orders
- Purchase capital equipment to produce exports
- Cover cash shortfalls or delayed payments caused by buyers
- Offer operating leases to buyers
- Provide working capital until equity investments are secured
- Fees:
- Initial assessment NZD 1,000
- Per annum fee on guaranteed amount ranges from 4%–6%
- Covers loans made to foreign buyers against non-payment
- Tenor: Greater than 1 year; repayments in equal semi-annual installments
- Cover: Up to 95% political and commercial risk cover
- Premium: Priced according to transaction risks; payable in full upfront
- Application fee: Minimum NZD 2,000 or 0.05% of requested credit amount
- Covers production costs, net of profit margin and any advance payments which cannot be recouped by the exporter in the event of your the cancelling the contract
- This support is provided in conjunction with either the Short-Term Trade Credit Guarantee, or Export Credit Guarantee
- General bond guarantee:
- Issued to exporter’s bank/bond provider to cover losses if exporter fails to properly perform contractual obligations and the bond is called
- Cover: Up to 100% of the bond amount
- Types of bonds that are supported: Bid bond, advance payment bond, performance bond, and warranty/maintenance bond
- Fees: Premium based on assessment of credit and performance risks, typically 1.5%–3% per annum, and initial assessment fee NZD 1,000
- Surety bond guarantee:
- Guarantee issued to surety bond provider to cover losses if exporter fails to properly perform contractual obligations and the surety bond is called
- Cover: Typically, 100% of surety bond value
- Fees: Initial assessment fee of NZD 1000
- If NZECO approves the application, premium is not charged for an initial bid bond or bond ability letter in support of the exporter’s tender
- If an exporter is awarded a contract and surety bonds are issued, then NZECO will charge a premium against the surety bond amount
- General contract bond guarantee
- Financial guarantee which protects buyer from losses in the event exporter fails to properly perform contractual obligations
- Cover: Typically, 100% of bond amount
Policies
- Eligible companies must be registered in New Zealand or be an international subsidiary of a New Zealand registered company
- Insurance policy does not cover contract cancellation or non-payment resulting from exporter’s negligence or a contract dispute unless the exporter obtains a judicial or arbitration judgment in their favor
- Anti-bribery declaration
- The maximum aggregate liability is NZD 740 million
- Eligibility:
- Written evidence by exporter to demonstrate that there are New Zealand economic benefits arising from the underlying exports
- New Zealand registered company
- The credit term should not exceed the economic life of the exported good
- NZECO does not offer 100% political and commercial risk cover in respect to trade credit insurance for open account terms
- Currencies: NZD, AUD, USD, CAD, EUR, JPY, CNY, and GBP