When you trade or invest across borders, your balance sheet is at risk. In commodities, where pre-payment is common as a means of financing production and guaranteeing long-term supply, non-payment or non-delivery can have a devastating commercial effect. We help you protect yourself against these sorts of risks with our political and credit risk insurance team.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Political and Credit Risks

Get in touch (opens a new window)

We focus on the risks associated with cross-border trades and investments

When you trade or invest across borders, your balance sheet is at risk. In commodities, where pre-payment is common as a means of financing production and guaranteeing long-term supply, non-payment or non-delivery can have a devastating commercial effect. We help you protect yourself against these sorts of risks.

We also help you manage political risk. Foreign government actions like war, trade embargoes and expropriation can affect your bottom line, costing you tens or hundreds of millions. They can even cause you to write off your investment completely. The longer your trade or investment agreement, the greater the uncertainty – and the more you need cover.

We arrange insurance coverage that protects you against political and counterparty risks in trade transactions. We work with commodity traders and the banks that finance them, as well as with equity investors who have subsidiaries or physical assets abroad. Clients include the leading banks, construction companies, international commodities traders,  industrial companies, miners, oil producers and exporters.

What we cover

We’re more than an insurance broker – we’re a partner helping you protect your balance sheet.   We investigate the insurance market to find counterparties who’ll take on your political and trade credit risks at a premium you’re comfortable with.

We’ll advocate for you and negotiate hard on your behalf. As well as this, we’ll:

  • Analyse your risk and identify areas where a government action may threaten your investment

  • Study your contracts and recommend changes if needed to make them insurable

  • Suggest ways to structure your risk to reassure underwriters, such as obtaining collateral or guaranties

  • Get underwriters more closely involved with you and your risk to develop a true partnership

  • Advise you on the best way to manage your risk, not just the best insurance to buy

Our Political & Credit Risk Insurance Team

Placeholder image

David Coupland

Senior Vice President
david.coupland@lockton.com
+44 207 933 2445

Placeholder image

Chris Wetherell

Head of FPR Europe Specialty
chris.wetherell@lockton.com
+44 207 933 2658

Placeholder image

James Gearing

Producer Europe Specialty
james.gearing@lockton.com
+44 207 933 1479

News and Insights

The introduction of tariffs on US imports could have complex consequences for the industrial and logistics sector, including weakening demand for real estate, and a potential uptick in tenant turnover. For investors and owners, it is essential to understand the risks associated with tenants’ business, and to appropriately communicate this to insurers.Industrial and logistics: how tariffs are driving new tenant risks

An essential insurance guide for care and medical recruiters

Finding cost-effective insurance cover for your recruitment agency can be a complex and time-consuming task.

To make things simpler, our experts have compiled this quick guide to the most common types of insurance cover available to recruiters that specialise in providing resource to the care and medical sectors.Finding cost-effective insurance cover for your recruitment agency can be a complex and time-consuming task.

To make things simpler, our experts have compiled this quick guide to the most common types of insurance cover available to recruiters that specialise in providing resource to the care and medical sectors.

Atypical projects have uncommon insurance: possible implications for PII

Insurance can often play a vital role in unlocking development potential by mitigating risk so that developers and funders are willing to invest resource and finance into a project. For construction practitioners, however, the implementation of specialist insurance can also bring unique risks. Understanding these risks and seeking specialist advice can be crucial when it comes to mitigating potential claims.Insurance can often play a vital role in unlocking development potential by mitigating risk so that developers and funders are willing to invest resource and finance into a project. For construction practitioners, however, the implementation of specialist insurance can also bring unique risks. Understanding these risks and seeking specialist advice can be crucial when it comes to mitigating potential claims.

Lockton appoints Emilie Bardey as Head of FI Wholesale

Lockton, the world’s largest independent insurance broker, has announced that Emilie Bardey has been appointed as Head of Financial Institutions (FI) Wholesale, effective 1 May 2025. Lockton, the world’s largest independent insurance broker, has announced that Emilie Bardey has been appointed as Head of Financial Institutions (FI) Wholesale, effective 1 May 2025.
See all news and insights

We're here to help

We bring creative thinking and an entrepreneurial spirit to the insurance business and are uniquely positioned to help you succeed.

Talk to our team
culture-quote-tiernan