Export Credit Guarantee Department

The ECGD of the Department of Industry and Trade is the primary source of
official British export credit. The ECGD helps exporters by providing:
(a) insurance against the risk of not being paid for exports and (b)
guarantees to banks for exporters of capital goods, under which finance can
be obtained for export business, often at a favorable rate of interest.
Subject to Parliamentary approval, ECDG's short-term underwriting division,
the Insurance Service Group, is to be privatized. The medium and long-term
underwriting group is introducing a new system for assessing premiums which
will more realistically reflect the risk involved. The Department was
originally established in 1919; headquarters are in London, England.