Who is ATOL?
The Air Travel Organiser's Licensing (ATOL) is a protection scheme for flights and air holidays, managed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) - the UK's specialist aviation regulator. ATOL is the only scheme for flights and air holidays sold by tour operators in the UK.
What protection is offered by ATOL?
The ATOL protection scheme protects travellers from losing money or being stranded abroad in the event of a tour operator going out of business. All licenced firms have to lodge bonds with the CAA, which gives refunds and arranges for people to finish their holidays and fly home. Should the ATOL bond be inadequate to look after everyone affected, a government-backed fund called the Air Travel Trust steps in.
The ATOL holder or their agent must provide you with an ATOL receipt once you pay any money for a flight or a package holiday by air. The receipt will include the name of the licensed firm you're booked with and their ATOL number. The ATOL holder will be required to honour your booking in the event that their agent goes out of business. Similarly, should the ATOL holder go out of business itself, you will be further protected by ATOL.
When does ATOL protection not apply?
Those buying a scheduled flight and receiving a ticket within 24 hours of payment and those booking direct with an airline are not protected by ATOL.
Holiday Extras Travel Insurance is sold and administered by Holiday Extras Cover Limited who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under registration number 828848.
Holiday Extras™ is a Trading Name of Holiday Extras Cover Limited
Holiday Extras Travel Insurance is provided by Taurus Insurance Services, an insurance intermediary licenced and authorised in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission under Permission Number 5566 and authorised to passport general insurance intermediary services into the UK and registered with the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK under registration number 444830.
The insurance is underwritten by Great Lakes Insurance SE. Great Lakes Insurance SE is a German insurance company with its headquarters at Königinstrasse 107, 80802 Munich. UK Branch office: 10 Fenchurch Avenue, London, EC3M 5BN, company number SE000083. Great Lakes Insurance SE, UK Branch, is authorised and regulated by Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht. Deemed authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Firm Reference Number: 769884. Subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details of the Temporary Permissions Regime, which allows EEA-based firms to operate in the UK for a limited period while seeking full authorisation, are available on the Financial Conduct Authority’s website.