Is travel agency insolvency covered?

Currently, Australian travel insurers do not cover travel agency insolvency. But for most of the time, that should be okay since travel agencies don't usually operate the flights or hotels anyway.

How can people protect themselves against bankruptcy?

If a provider such as a tour operator or airline becomes insolvent, there are several ways you may be able to recover your money. The travel agent may be able to get a refund for you, or at least help you get home if you’re stranded mid-holiday If you paid for your holiday on your credit card, you may be able to request a chargeback from your credit card provider and have the money returned to your credit card If your travel insurance policy includes insolvency of a travel provider, you will be covered up to a certain benefit amount However, there are no travel insurance policies that provide cover if your travel agent becomes insolvent. The only way to recover your money is by requesting a chargeback from your credit card company or being compensated through your travel agent’s insolvency cover.

Looking for travel insurance with insolvency cover?

Only a small number of travel insurers cover insolvency.
You can be covered if your trip is cancelled, shortened or rescheduled due to your travel provider going bankrupt.
If your travel insurance does not cover you, you may be able to do a credit card chargeback.

Get travel insurance for insolvency

The following is a list of travel insurers who offer cover for travel provider insolvency:

Cover limit	You can get covered for	Apply
$5,000	Value of the unused arrangements Reasonable cost of rearranging your trip	Get quote
$5,000	Value of the unused arrangements Reasonable cost of rearranging your trip	Get quote
$10,000	Reasonable costs for You to arrange the same or similar standard of transport and accommodation	More info
$10,000	Reasonable cost to rearrange journey Pay the non-refundable unused portion Reasonable Additional hotel accommodation expenses	Get quote
$10,000	Reasonable cost to rearrange journey Pay the non-refundable unused portion Reasonable Additional hotel accommodation expenses	More info

Note: This information was last updated December 2024

Tips to protect yourself

Minimise your risk before booking your holiday by:

Paying for it with your credit card
Checking with your travel agent to see if they have their own insolvency protection cover
Reading your travel insurance policy carefully to understand what you are covered for in such situations

There is no government compensation scheme for travel agent or travel provider insolvency in Australia. The Travel Compensation Fund, which compensated travellers for travel agent insolvency, was abolished in 2014.

Credit card chargebacks: What are they, how do they work and how long do I have?

Currently in Australia, a credit card chargeback is one of two ways you can get your money back if your travel agent goes broke. This is only because there are consumer protection rules associated with the use of Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards.

When you apply for a credit card for a chargeback, your provider will examine the evidence and if they find cause will reverse the transaction, which returns the money paid to your credit card.

As long as you purchased your holiday on your credit or debit card and selected "credit" when you paid, you have a good chance of being compensated for travel agent insolvency.

Common reasons for chargebacks include:

Unauthorised transactions. Someone uses your credit card details without your permission.
Duplicate processing. You are charged more than once for a purchase.
Direct debits. A direct debit continues after you have cancelled it.
Merchandise not received. You do not receive the merchandise or service you paid for (this would include travel agent insolvency).

While chargebacks can be a lifesaver, it’s important to remember there are time limits. These limits vary but are generally 45 to 120 days from the transaction date, so check with your card issuer and lodge your claim as soon as you can.

Don’t get caught out

With only a handful of Australian insurers covering travel provider insolvency and none covering travel agent insolvency, sometimes a traveller’s only recourse is to either use their credit card to pay for their holiday or find a travel agent with insolvency protection.

Before taking out a travel insurance policy, make sure you’ve checked if it covers provider insolvency at the very least.

Frequently asked questions

If a provider such as a tour operator or airline becomes insolvent, there are several ways you may be able to recover your money.
- The travel agent may be able to get a refund for you, or at least help you get home if you’re stranded mid-holiday
- If you paid for your holiday on your credit card, you may be able to request a chargeback from your credit card provider and have the money returned to your credit card
- If your travel insurance policy includes insolvency of a travel provider, you will be covered up to a certain benefit amount
However, there are no travel insurance policies that provide cover if your travel agent becomes insolvent. The only way to recover your money is by requesting a chargeback from your credit card company or being compensated through your travel agent’s insolvency cover.

Sources

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Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

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Gary Ross Hunter has over 6 years of expertise writing about insurance, including life, health, home, and car insurance. Having reviewed hundreds of product disclosure statements and published over 800 articles, he loves simplifying complex insurance topics for everyday readers. Gary has contributed to major outlets like Yahoo Finance, The Sydney Morning Herald, and news.com.au, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, along with a Tier 2 General Advice certification, ensuring his work adheres to ASIC’s RG146 standards. See full bio

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Gary Ross has written 554 Finder guides across topics including:

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