What is credit information?
Credit information is structured, verifiable information about the financial reliability of a counterparty: a company, a sole trader or an individual. A credit report combines register data, annual figures, insolvency notices and payment behaviour into a single overview, always with sources and an as-at date.
Short answer: credit information tells you how likely a customer or supplier is to meet their obligations, and how much credit you can responsibly extend to that customer.
What does a credit report contain?
| Component | What it tells you | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identification | Registered name, KVK (Dutch Chamber of Commerce) number, legal form, business location | Business Register |
| Structure | Parent–subsidiary relationships, directors | Business Register |
| Key financial figures | Equity, solvency, going concern status | Filed annual accounts |
| Insolvencies | Bankruptcy, suspension of payments, debt restructuring | Central Insolvency Register |
| Payment behaviour | Average payment time, arrears | Payment experiences |
| Credit limit | Maximum responsible level of trade credit | Model based on the above |
Why do businesses use credit information?
- Preventing write-offs. Every unpaid invoice has to be recovered through additional revenue. At an 8% net margin, an uncollectable invoice of €10.000 costs you €125.000 in new revenue.
- Saying yes faster. With an indicative limit, your sales team can accept smaller orders immediately, without manual assessment.
- Better terms. You tailor payment terms and advance payments to each risk profile rather than applying one rule to everyone.
- Supporting your case with finance providers and insurers. A clear, traceable file for each debtor helps with factoring and credit insurance.
- Supplier risk. This also matters on the purchasing side: a supplier going under brings your production to a halt.
Where does the information come from?
Reliable credit information is traceable. CreditCheck.nl uses public, verifiable sources: the Business Register of the KVK (Dutch Chamber of Commerce), the Central Insolvency Register maintained by De Rechtspraak, filed annual accounts and sector statistics from CBS (Statistics Netherlands). Each data point comes with a source and an as-at date, so you know how up to date the picture is.
Credit information about individuals: only with a lawful basis
We provide credit information about private individuals and sole traders exclusively to business customers with a valid lawful basis under the GDPR (AVG), such as a legitimate interest in making a credit decision. We do not publish personal data on the website.
Frequently asked questions
Is credit information the same as credit insurance? No. Credit information helps you assess a risk; insurance covers the loss if things go wrong. They work well together.
How often should I refresh the information? For active debtors: at least quarterly, and immediately when increasing a limit or receiving a warning sign such as a payment falling into arrears.
Does CreditCheck.nl provide financial advice? No. We provide the information; the credit decision remains yours.
Next step
Want to know what information is available about your customers or suppliers? Request credit information below.
From explanation to a company file
- Check a company's creditworthiness
Combine registration details, annual accounts, payment history and insolvency information before doing business.
- Credit report: example and request
View a clearly fictional file, its sources and limitations, and request credit information.
Sources and scope
Examples and policy choices in this article are illustrative, not a current quotation, fixed standard or financial or legal advice. The editorial revision date relates to the summary, structure and source references; it is not a reference date for the underlying data.
| Primary source | What is it used for? |
|---|---|
| KVK (Dutch Chamber of Commerce) — checking business partners | Company identification and checks on business partners. |
| De Rechtspraak — Central Insolvency Register | Official insolvency notices and available public reports; check the relevant entity and the date of the court ruling. |
Source links support the topic mentioned, but do not automatically substantiate all percentages, time frames or examples in this article. Check current terms and rules with the responsible authority.
Request credit information with sources and reference dates
