What is ATOL Protection? | Saga Travel Insurance

Group of senior female friends standing outdoors on hotel terrace arriving for summer holiday.

Published - 6 Sep 2024 | Updated - 30 Jun 2025

What is ATOL?

The Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) is a financial protection scheme for UK travellers run by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). ATOL protection gives you the reassurance that if you are stranded abroad when your provider ceases trading, you’ll not lose out on the cost of your holiday.

ATOL can help you to continue your trip by:

Assisting with staying in your holiday accommodation, if possible.
Reimbursing the cost of ATOL protected parts of your trip that you've had to replace, such as car hire and transfers.

Or
Arrange flights home, depending on the circumstance.

In straightforward terms, ATOL is there to help protect you if the travel company providing your ATOL-protected booking stops trading. It is separate from travel insurance, so it does not replace cover for medical emergencies, cancellations for personal reasons, lost baggage, or travel disruption that is unrelated to a travel company failure.

What does ATOL protection cover you for?

Should the UK travel company you booked your holiday with go out of business, you will be reimbursed for the cost of your trip. It also applies if a UK airline goes bust.

ATOL protects your package holiday with a flight included, flights and accommodation, flights and car hire and some flight-only bookings. ATOL will help you stay in your accommodation while you’re abroad, pay for car hire and transfers and arrange flights home if possible.

Does ATOL protection mean you get your money back?

If you bought a package holiday, all flights, accommodation and car hire expenses can be recovered. If your airline is no longer in operation, your travel company will have to find you a separate carrier or give you your money back.

What is not protected under the ATOL scheme?

Non-package holidays where you paid for the flights separately and travel companies that are not registered on the ATOL website.

How to claim on an ATOL protected holiday

You’ll need your ATOL certificate, which is proof you’re covered by the scheme. Keep a digital copy of the certificate with you when you travel and make a note of your unique reference number. The certificate will tell you who is protected and who is responsible for any failure and the next steps to take to make a claim.

If your holiday hasn’t happened yet, visit atol.org to locate the company you booked through on the failure list.

Are all holidays ATOL protected?

Only package holidays carrying the ATOL logo and number are protected by the scheme. The number often starts with a T followed by four or five digits. Always ask when booking if your operator is ATOL protected.

What is an ATOL certificate?

An ATOL Certificate is the document that confirms which parts of your booking are financially protected under the ATOL scheme. You should receive it from the travel company as soon as you pay any money towards an ATOL-protected trip, even if that first payment is only a deposit.

It is worth taking a moment to check that the details match your booking. The certificate should show what is protected, who is covered, and which ATOL holder is providing the protection, along with the unique reference number you may need if there is a problem later on. If anything is incorrect, or your booking changes, you should be sent an updated certificate.

For peace of mind, keep a paper or digital copy with your travel documents. If your provider stops trading, the ATOL Certificate helps show what protection applies and what you need to do next.

What is the difference between ATOL and ABTA protection?

ATOL protection is for package holidays with flights while the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) is a trade association for UK tour operators, travel agents and the wider industry. ABTA covers travel by coach, rail, road or sea, plus resorts and hotels.

Depending on how you book, a trip can be protected by ATOL, ABTA, both, or neither, so it is always worth checking the booking paperwork rather than assuming the same protection applies in every case. All Saga Holidays are both ABTA and ATOL protected.

ATOL protection vs travel insurance

It’s important to note the ATOL protection scheme is not a substitute for travel insurance. The ATOL scheme only offers protection if the UK travel company you have booked your package holiday with goes out of business.

For any other unforeseen circumstances that can affect your holiday, you need travel insurance. Saga Travel Insurance provides cover for lost, stolen or damaged items, such as baggage, passports and money. It also provides cover for medical emergencies, flight delays or travel disruption. There are five cover options to choose from, so you can pack the right policy for every trip.

Who underwrites Saga Travel Insurance?

Saga Travel Insurance is designed for people over 50 and is underwritten by Astrenska Insurance Limited, with claims administered on their behalf by Collinson Insurance Services Limited.