Get an ECGC Buyer Exposure Limit Before Your First Shipment — Here is How

An ECGC Buyer Exposure Limit (BEL) is ECGC' credit assessment of a specific foreign buyer — essentially a credit limit telling you how much exposure ECGC will cover for that buyer. Getting a BEL before first shipment is the single most cost-effective buyer due diligence action available to Indian exporters.

What you need to apply: Your active ECGC Standard Policy number; the buyer' full legal name, registered address, and country; the buyer' website and any available financial information; the credit period you plan to offer; the maximum exposure you want covered.

The process: Submit through ECGC' online portal (ecgc.in) or through your bank' ECGC desk. ECGC accesses international credit databases (Dun & Bradstreet, Coface) and its own buyer history records. Assessment completed within 5-10 working days for EU buyers.

What the result tells you: If ECGC grants the BEL at your requested level — they are comfortable with this buyer. A lower BEL signals higher risk. A declined BEL is a strong warning signal — do not ship on open account to this buyer.

Cost: BEL assessment is included in your ECGC Standard Policy premium. No additional charge. Total ECGC Standard Policy premium: 0.10-0.50% of export value per year. For USD 1M annual exports, this is USD 1,000-5,000 — far less than one defaulted shipment.