Export credit insurance, or credit insurance, is an insurance policy and a risk management product offered by private insurance companies and governmental export credit agencies to business entities wishing to protect their balance sheet assets, accounts receivable and from loss due to credit risks such as protracted default, insolvency, bankruptcy, etc. This insurance product is a type of property and casualty insurance and should not be confused with such products as credit life or credit disability insurance, which the insured obtains to protect against the risk of loss of income needed to pay debts. Trade Credit Insurance can include a component of political risk insurance which is offered by the same insurers to insure the risk of non-payment by foreign buyers due to currency issues, political unrest and expropriation, among others.