Guidance

Overseas Investment Insurance

Find out about our Overseas Investment Insurance policy: its benefits, eligibility criteria and how to apply.

• From: UK Export Finance
• Published: 18 April 2013
• Last updated: 14 September 2017 — See all updates

When a UK company wants to invest overseas, for example a subscription for shares, building a new factory or opening a branch in another country to help boost sales in a particular market, investors may wish to seek protection for their investment.

Our Overseas Investment Insurance (OII) policy can protect a UK investor against potential losses on overseas investments due to defined political events that may arise in a non-OECD country.

Benefits

While some insurers will offer OII, they may only cover a limited number of circumstances and countries. We can help to fill this gap by offering cover in a broader range of cases, including for:

• challenging markets where the private sector may not be willing to offer cover
• popular markets in which capacity limits have already been reached
• long-term projects, up to 15 years

Our OII policy also offers:

• cover against losses caused by specified risks, for up to 90% of the loss value
• the option for annual renewal, maintaining the same premium and terms for up to a maximum of 15 years
• the option to adjust the amount of cover with each renewal, to reflect the invested amount that year (given it does not exceed a specific maximum)

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for support under our Overseas Investment Insurance, the transaction must satisfy UKEF’s eligibility criteria, which includes, among others, the requirements that:

• the applicant is a UK-based entity investing overseas
• the entity is carrying on business in the UK, not simply acting as a conduit for investment outside the UK
• the policy required is for an investment in a country that is not a High-Income Country (as defined by the World Bank) or the country is not a member of the OECD, the euro area or certain other highly developed markets
• there is a lack of availability of cover from the private market
• where cover is requested for a guarantee in respect of an overseas investment, the party giving the guarantee must have an interest in that enterprise

Check our country cover policy and indicators to find out what cover is available in the country you want to do business in.

Cost

There is normally no fee for the application. The premium payable for our cover is determined on a case by case basis.

How to apply

To find out more about Overseas Investment Insurance, or to discuss eligibility for our support, contact our customer services team.

Email customer.service@ukexportfinance.gov.uk or call +44 (0)20 7271 8010.

Our application form is also available if you are ready to submit an application.

Application forms

If you are ready to submit an application, access the form below:

• Overseas Investment Insurance application form (PDF, 375 KB, 21 pages)

More information

• Read our guide for applicants on business processes and factors, to find out how we make decisions on applications
• Read our position on Financial Crime Compliance

Published 18 April 2013
Last updated 14 September 2017 + show all updates

1. 14 September 2017

   Updated application form - September 2017

2. 24 April 2017

   Change to Security of Information Arrangements

3. 18 April 2013

   First published.