WHEN you book a holiday, the ATOL holder or their agent must give you a certificate confirming you are ATOL protected as soon as you hand over any money - including a deposit - for a holiday or flight.
Make sure you obtain and keep all the relevant paperwork in case you need to make a claim.
But be aware, the protection only covers British-based firms, so it's vital to check. When
lowcostholidays went bust in 2016, customers weren't protected by ATOL because the company had moved to Spain in 2013.
Some travel companies display the ATOL logo on their websites even though they don't offer financial protection.
To check it's genuine, look for a number on the logo and check it out on the CAA's website.
You should be wary if the travel provider has no ATOL number, or if the number doesn't have four or five digits.
If you aren't sure about the website, don't book through it.
Another key term Brits should
be aware of is ABTA. While ATOL protects flight-based packages, ABTA protects everything else such as cruise or self-drive trips.