Receivables Insurance Association of Canadas new Chairman points to membership growth, expanding brand recognition, fall economics conference as evidence of progress

Toronto, ON – Brad Hébert, the newly appointed Chairman of the Receivables Insurance Association of Canada, believes the association’s first year of operations laid a successful foundation. Now the association intends to expand membership, increase brand recognition, continue liaison with the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, and introduce more value-added member networking and professional development opportunities.

The Receivables Insurance Association of Canada promotes the business opportunity for receivables insurance – also known as trade credit insurance – to Canadian insurance brokers, the banking industry and businesses engaged in domestic trade and exporting. 

Hébert, who is also Vice President – Trade Credit, of AIG Insurance Company of Canada, said the receivables insurance industry has single-digit market penetration among Canadian businesses and premiums across the country experienced a modest year-over-year increase of 2.7% in the first quarter of 2014, according to data from the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions.

Yet the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Trade Register Report 2014 provides empirical evidence that, in all forms, trade and export finance is a low risk bank financing technique. Based on data contributed by the major global commercial banks and reflecting more than 4.5 million transactions totaling an exposure in excess of US$2.4 trillion, the ICC Trade Register Report 2014 (“the Trade Register”) empirically demonstrates that trade finance is lower risk than many other types of financing and assets. It records that short-term trade finance customer default rates range from a low of 0.033% to a high of 0.241%, which is a fraction of the 1.38% default rate reported by Moody’s for all corporate products (according to 2012 figures).

“These important findings from ICC motivate our association work with brokers, bankers and businesses to transform the vastly under-insured state of corporate receivables in Canada. The lack of receivables insurance introduces undue risk on working capital loans, inhibits the amount that can be loaned, and also forces higher interest rates on business clients that artificially restrict sales growth,” said Hébert.

In much the same way mortgage insurance is designed to protect the bank in the event of a foreclosure, receivables insurance protects businesses from buyers — in Canada or abroad — that are unable to fulfill their invoice payment obligations.

Such unforeseen trade disruptions can include buyer insolvency, protracted default – a failure to meet obligations on time due to inadequate cash flow, or political disruptions that lead to a loss on current receivables.

“Last year we launched the Receivables Insurance Association of Canada with most of Canada’s major receivables insurance underwriters, several brokers, as well as a major bank,” said Mark Attley, the association’s President. “Our stated goal was and is to grow a $200 million market to a goal of $350 million within five years. All our founding members remain with us into our second year, and I’m pleased to say we also welcomed new members from right across Canada including Gerald Shtull & Associates, Dan Lawrie Insurance Brokers Ltd. and several individuals from trade credit and political risk companies.” Attley pointed out that individual association memberships now start at an affordable $200 per person.

In its second year, the Receivables Insurance Association of Canada is undertaking the following initiatives to bring even more value and networking opportunity to its members:

• • Grow membership along four industry and individual tiers and seek member knowledge contributions in the form of white papers, webinars and professional education/upgrading programs.

  • Introduce an annual learning conference in Canada’s financial centre of Toronto that invites top economists to discuss issues affecting trade credit, political risk, exporting and the role of receivables insurance.

  • Encourage working committees in banking and finance, marketing, governance and membership to be proactive within the broader Canadian economy.

  • Continue working with the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) that now allows banks to introduce the concept of receivables insurance to clients and direct business borrowers to www.receivablesinsurancecanada.com for more information.

  • Build on public relations and public speaking initiatives that last year resulted in 47 media stories in insurance industry and general business publications and blogs both across Canada and around the world.

Hébert also stated that he is pleased to be working with a stellar association executive team including Mark Attley in his second year in the role of President; Christopher Short, in the role of Vice President; Mike O’Brien in the role of Secretary Treasurer and Ian Miller as Chair of Governance. Short, O’Brien and Miller are also respectively senior receivables insurance executives with Coface, Euler Hermes Canada, and Atradius Credit Insurance N.V.

About the Receivables Insurance Association of Canada

The Receivables Insurance Association of Canada promotes the business opportunity for receivables insurance – also known as trade credit insurance – to Canadian insurance brokers, the banking industry and businesses engaged in domestic trade and exporting.  The association also works to advance industry innovation and product integrity, solve any business problems related to government legislation, and represent the interests of its members by facilitating an open exchange of information and ideas.  Founding members of the Receivables Insurance Association of Canada include AIG Insurance Company of Canada, AON, Atradius Credit Insurance N.V., Coface, Euler Hermes Canada, Export Development Canada, Guarantee Company of North America, Marsh Canada Ltd., Millennium CreditRisk Management Ltd., and Red Rock Insurance Services Ltd. New members within the last year include Gerald Shtull & Associates, Dan Lawrie Insurance Brokers Ltd. and several individuals from brokerages and professional services firms across Canada.  

Receivables Insurance Association of Canada Contacts

• Brad Hébert
• Chairman
• Receivables Insurance Association of Canada
• Phone: +1 416-596-3013

• Email: brad.hebert@aig.com

• Mark Attley
• President
• Receivables Insurance Association of Canada
• Phone: +1 613-794-6683

• Email: mark.attley@receivablesinsurancecanada.com

• Paul Brent
• Senior Communications Strategist
• market2world communications inc.
• Phone: +1 613-256-3939
• Email: paul@market2world.com