The headline statistic — "industry-wide debt collection success rates average 20–30%" — is accurate, misleading, and almost certainly not relevant to your situation. That average includes consumer credit card debts, medical bills, and decades-old accounts that nobody seriously expects to recover. It tells you almost nothing about what happens when an overseas business pursues a commercial debt from a Spanish company.
The numbers that matter are more specific, and substantially more encouraging.
Commercial B2B Recovery Rates vs. the Industry Average
Commercial debt recovery operates in a different statistical universe from consumer collections. The reasons are structural: business debtors have registered offices, filed accounts, identifiable assets, and ongoing commercial interests that create settlement incentives. Consumer debtors often have none of these.
For B2B debts referred to a professional collection agency within 90 days of default, recovery rates typically range from 70–85%. That's not an aspirational figure — it reflects the reality that most commercially viable businesses would rather pay a legitimate debt than face legal proceedings, court judgments, and the reputational damage of appearing on Spanish debtor registries.
The critical variable isn't the debt amount or the industry — it's timing.
How Timing Affects Your Recovery Probability
0–90 days past due: 70–85% recovery rate. The debtor is still engaged with the commercial relationship, their financial situation hasn't deteriorated significantly, and the debt is fresh enough that documentation and contacts are current. This is the window where amicable collection works best and legal proceedings are rarely necessary.
90–180 days: 50–70%. The debtor has had time to deprioritise your payment, other creditors may be competing for the same funds, and the internal champion who approved your original deal may have moved on. Professional collection is still viable, but the approach needs more intensity and legal escalation becomes more likely.
180–365 days: 30–50%. The probability curve steepens. Debtors at this stage have often restructured their payables, may be in discussions with other creditors, and have calculated that you're unlikely to pursue enforcement. Legal proceedings are frequently necessary, which adds cost and time.
Beyond 12 months: 15–30%. Recovery is still possible but the economics change. Legal costs represent a larger proportion of the potential recovery, and the debtor's financial situation may have deteriorated further. Debts at this age often require aggressive enforcement strategies and sometimes result in partial settlements.
What Drives Success Rates Up
Documentation quality. Debts supported by signed contracts, purchase orders, invoices, and proof of delivery recover at significantly higher rates than those relying on informal agreements. In Spain, the monitorio procedure specifically rewards well-documented claims with fast-track processing.
Debtor solvency. A profitable company with assets recovers differently from one approaching insolvency. Pre-collection credit checks through the Registro Mercantil and debtor registries (ASNEF, RAI) help your agency assess viability before investing resources.
Local presence. Agencies with physical presence in the debtor's country consistently outperform cross-border correspondence-based approaches. The reasons are practical: local agents can visit debtors, file in local courts, and apply informal pressure that distance makes impossible.
What Drives Success Rates Down
Delay. Every month of internal chasing beyond 60 days reduces your recovery probability without meaningfully improving your position. The most expensive decision most creditors make is waiting too long to engage professional help.
Disputed debts. Genuine quality or delivery disputes reduce recovery rates because they introduce uncertainty about the valid claim amount. Tactical disputes — raised months after delivery solely to delay payment — are common in Spain and experienced agents recognise the difference.
Debtor in pre-insolvency. If the debtor is approaching concurso de acreedores, individual collection becomes a race against other creditors and the automatic stay that formal insolvency triggers.
FAQ
My agency claims a 90% success rate. Is that realistic?
It depends on how they define "success" and which cases they include. A 90% rate on cases they've pre-screened and accepted is possible — agencies reject cases they don't expect to win. A 90% rate on all submitted cases would be extraordinary. Ask how they calculate the number and what their acceptance rate is.
How do Spanish recovery rates compare to other European countries?
Spain's amicable recovery rates are comparable to France and slightly below Germany's. Where Spain differs is in enforcement timelines for contested judgments, which are longer than in Northern Europe. This makes the amicable phase even more important — the cost of resolving before litigation is lower in absolute terms and dramatically lower in time.
Alan Perez
💥 World citizen / 🛵 Tourist, Senior Debt Collection Manager, Business Debt Claims Expert
