We are consulting on guidance for firms to help their customers identify their quickest and easiest options to claim for any cancelled travel or events caused by coronavirus (Covid-19).
Read Cancellations and refunds: helping consumers with rights and routes to refunds (PDF)[1]
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been an unprecedented number of cancellations of trips, holidays, and other events. In these circumstances, consumers are generally entitled to claim a refund from the travel or service provider.
For packaged holidays, if the provider goes out of business, consumers should contact ABTA or ATOL, or a similar guarantee scheme. If the consumer is not covered by a guarantee scheme, then they might be able to make a claim with their credit or debit card provider or their travel insurer.
On 29 June 2020, we published 2 statements[2] to help consumers understand their rights when claiming a refund for cancelled events or travel arrangements and outlined what we expected from firms.
We also committed to provide firms with further guidance outlining our expectations for firms when helping customers who are trying to claim money back.
This guidance is aimed at both credit and debit card firms as well as insurance providers. It is designed to ensure that these firms handle enquiries and claims from consumers in a reasonable timescale, fairly and in a way that minimises inconvenience to the consumer.
This guidance will also be of interest to consumer organisations.
Who this applies to
This guidance is relevant to:
- insurance providers
- credit card providers
- debit card providers
- consumer organisations
Respond to this consultation
Please send your responses by 13 August 2020 to [email protected]
Next steps
We will consider feedback and publish Final Guidance, depending on the responses to this consultation by the end of September.