James Daly, president and chief executive for United States operations at Euler Hermes, said that rates varied, but someone insuring $1 million in receivables through the company’s Simplicity plan could expect to pay an annual premium of around $7,000.

Michael Chen, president of Myco Furniture in Houston, said he had been using factors — groups that buy a company’s receivables at a reduced rate — but switched to credit insurance through Euler Hermes as a way to cut costs and be more selective in what the company insured.

This is where so-called limits insurers come in, offering coverage to firms with annual revenues of $1 million to $20 million.

Euler Hermes, a limits underwriter, recently introduced a plan called Simplicity, aimed at helping businesses with $1 million to $5 million in sales. Another insurer, Coface, offers the International Policy, an industry favo... See more