Have you ever heard of the Travel Assurance Fund? We received a call today from a consumer who wanted to access it but wasnât really sure what it covered.
What is the Travel Assurance Fund?
The Travel Assurance Fund (TAF) is a possible source of compensation if you donât get the travel services you bought and is only available if you booked with a licensed agent or wholesaler. The TAF doesnât cover all situations, but if your claim meets the criteria, Consumer Protection BC may be able to help.
The basic requirements
In order to qualify for recourse through the TAF, you must have:
- Booked your travel with a licensed BC travel agent or wholesaler. Check out our active licence search to see if a travel agent or wholesaler is licensed.
- Made reasonable efforts to obtain compensation from your insurance or your credit card company. Please keep all documentation of these attempts.
If you still need help, you may have a claim with the TAF.
Things not covered by the Travel Assurance Fund
- Gift certificates, damage deposits or unused credits.
- Dissatisfaction with the quality of service regarding accommodations, the occurrence of natural disasters or bad weather, or other circumstances beyond the control of the travel supplier.
- The TAF will not top up insurance payments related to health, baggage, or trip cancellation.
For more information on the Travel Assurance Fund, visit the consumer help section of our website. If you have questions, please contact us or ask in comments below!
ADDITIONAL READING:
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Bruce & Anneâs story: A happy ending to a great African adventure
Travelling? Top 3 things you need to know before you book
What to do if your travel agency closes
Does the BC Travel Assurance Fund only cover BC residents?
Hi Doreen, thanks for the question. We have some criteria to be eligible for the Travel Assurance Fund (more info here) but if you booked your trip with a Consumer Protection BC licensed travel agency, you may be eligible. We would need to know more about your case so if you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us. We are closed for the holidays as of 12 noon today but you can always contact us online and we will get back to you as we re-open our office. Thank you, Doreen!
Hi, can I file a claim if the refundable amount is not reasonable?
Hi Gary, thanks for your question. I’m not sure I understand what you mean by reasonable. However, it’s important to note that the Travel Assurance Fund can pay up to $5000 per person (traveler, not payee). If you have additional questions about submitting a claim, I would check out this section of our website: https://www.consumerprotectionbc.ca/consumer-help/didnt-get-travel-services/. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to call our Licensing and Information team at 1.888.564.9963. Thanks!
Hi
I have three open tickets. I tried to use it for this summer but after endless call and email they told their system has issue with my sonâs ticket. My son was under 12 at time of purchase the ticket and rule for open ticket is valid for 12 months and my son turned to 12 years and it makes the issue in their system.
Ther was not any fault by me. My question is, am I eligible for TAF?
Thanks
Hi Mehdi, thank you for reaching out to us. For this situation, I don’t think TAF would be a resource for you as it has to meet certain criteria and I don’t think your situation does. You may have to work out this issue with the airline directly, especially if this is their system error. The other option may be that if you bought your son’s ticket on your credit card, you can contact your credit card provider and see if they can give you a charge-back. I hope you will be able to resolve this issue quickly!
Hello, our flight was cancelled but we did not receive an email telling us it had been cancelled. We arrived at the airport to be told our flight didn’t exist. After much back-and-forth and stress, they managed to fit us on the next flight at no additional cost but with a connecting flight for both directions and significantly shortening our visit with family. After our return we contacted the travel agency and after several weeks and phone calls they eventually emailed us a screenshot of what they said is the email they sent us cancelling the flight, but we have no record of that email anywhere in our email folders. Do we have a valid claim for compensation, at least in part?
Hey Janice, thanks for your question. The Travel Assurance Fund (TAF) only applies when travel services that you paid for were not provided (such as when an airline or travel agency goes out of business) and you are out the money you paid. It sounds like you were able to get on another flight with no additional costs. In that case, you might be interested in checking out the Canadian Transportation Agencyâs website which outlines consumer rights when a flight is cancelled or delayed. For future reference, you can learn more about the Travel Assurance Fund and eligibility on our website. I hope this helps.