Exporting is a natural next step for ambitious businesses looking to unlock new markets, increase productivity, and drive revenue growth. But while international trade creates exciting opportunities, it also introduces uncertainty, particularly when it comes to international debt collection.
According to the latest Coface Risk Review, companies have had to navigate a volatile trading environment in 2025. Tariffs, rising corporate insolvencies and increasing geopolitical tensions have all contributed to deteriorating payment behaviour across key markets in Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. For exporters, this has made collecting overdue payments from overseas customers more complex than ever.
Language barriers, unfamiliar legal systems, and different business cultures mean that international debt collection can quickly become time‑consuming, costly, and unpredictable.
Why international debt collection is challenging for exporters
Late payment is already a major issue for many UK businesses, but when it crosses borders, the risks multiply.
Common challenges include:
- Limited visibility of a customer’s true financial position
- Different payment practices and commercial norms
- Legal and regulatory complexity across jurisdictions
- Difficulty enforcing claims in foreign markets
When invoices remain unpaid for extended periods, cash flow pressure builds fast. Prolonged arrears and bad debt are among the most common causes of business distress, which is why many exporters choose to outsource international debt collection services rather than manage recovery internally.
Why exporters trust Coface for international debt collection
While Coface is best known as a global credit insurer, our international footprint and risk intelligence make us a trusted expert in international debt collection.
We support companies in more than 200 markets worldwide, providing local collection capabilities far beyond the UK and Ireland. With over 80 years’ experience in international trade, Coface now handles more than 70,000 collection cases each year, allowing clients to focus on their core business while we recover outstanding payments.
Our 200 dedicated collection specialists work quickly and professionally to deliver results while protecting client relationships and brand reputation. In many cases, the strength of the Coface name alone is enough to prompt payment.
Where persuasion is required, our multilingual experts draw on:
- Local negotiation expertise
- Country‑specific legal knowledge
Key benefits of Coface international debt collection
- Faster recovery with minimal internal disruption
- Reduced risk of write‑offs and cash‑flow instability
- Cost‑effective pricing, commission only on amounts recovered
- Professional handling that protects long‑term customer relationships
Ready to make international debt collection simple for your business too?
Find out how much it could cost to recover your unpaid invoices with our quick and easy Debt Collection Cost Calculator.
Get an instant debt collection quote today
In just a few minutes
Would you like to recover one or more receivables? Find out the cost of debt collection by Coface.
*View our personal data protection policy.
If you’d like to explore how Coface can support you with straightforward, reliable international debt collection, find out here: https://www.coface.uk/lp/international-debt-collection-made-simple-with-coface
