Euler Hermes announces an extension to the protective shield scheme

Initiated and led by Euler Hermes, the joint agreement between credit insurers and the federal government will protect supply chains and trading in a way that allows businesses to operate with confidence and plan for future recovery. 

The economic shield (also known as “Schutzschirm”) protects previously healthy businesses against the negative effects of Covid-19, such as a slump in sales or the need for loans. Through the shield, credit insurance cover can be maintained despite the increased risk of defaults, with the government providing a counter-guarantee for indemnification payments up to 30 billion euros to commercially insured companies.

Credit insurers will continue to cover more than 400 billion euros, almost half of which is made up by Euler Hermes. The insurers will cede almost 60 percent of their premium income to the federal government and bear proportionate losses of up to 3 billion euros, as well as accepting default risks that exceed the guarantee.

“This agreement is an important signal during these volatile times. When we saw the magnitude of the pandemic, we knew we had to act, so we have been fighting to ensure our clients can continue business as normal as possible, despite significantly increased risks,” says Ron van het Hof, CEO of Euler Hermes for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. 

By shaping the protective shield agreement, Euler Hermes continues to make a significant contribution to the economy, while laying foundations for its stabilization and recovery. 

“These measures will give companies time to prepare for the new normality, to adapt their business models to the current situation and ultimately put many companies back on the road to success by the end of June," says Van het Hof.

The agreement will see the protective shield extended until June 30, 2021, subject to the expected final approval by the EU Commission. The extension should further stabilize German businesses and provide them with the foundation to build a stronger future.

Last updated: September 23, 2026

The Allianz Group is one of the world’s leading insurers and asset managers, active in almost 70 countries and serving around 97 million private and corporate customers*. Our customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, including property, life and health insurance, as well as assistance services, credit and global business insurance. Recognized for the seventh consecutive year as the number one global insurance brand in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2025 ranking, Allianz’s success is built on technology-enabled customer centricity – providing peace of mind, protection, and prevention for our customers and strengthening the resilience of individuals, communities, and societies. We are one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 791 billion euros** on behalf of our insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage about 2.2 trillion euros** of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of environmental and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, Allianz received an MSCI ESG Rating of AAA (as of March 2026). In 2025, our 156,000 dedicated employees achieved a total business volume of 186.9 billion euros and an operating profit of 17.4 billion euros for our shareholders.

* As of December 31, 2025. Customer count reflects Allianz customers in consolidated entities that are part of the customer reporting scope only.

** As of June 30, 2026.

Antje Wolters
Euler Hermes Deutschland
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