If the organiser of your package holiday goes bankrupt, the travel guarantee may protect your payments and necessary travel home. The protection depends on the trip and the guarantee provided by the organiser. Check the correct company, follow the bankruptcy notice and submit a documented claim promptly.

How do you know whether your trip has insolvency protection?

The rules and guidance in this article were checked on 3 October 2026.

Check both what you bought and who provided the guarantee. The fact that a website sells a holiday does not automatically mean that every purchase on it is protected.

A package holiday consists of at least two different types of travel service for the same trip or holiday, combined in a way that meets section 6 of the Package Travel Act⁠. A flight and hotel sold as one package is a common example. The law also covers several other combinations and booking methods.

Two separate purchases you make yourself, such as a flight and a hotel room on different websites, do not automatically form a package holiday. A linked travel arrangement may arise through specific ways of referring customers between purchases. It has more limited insolvency protection. Ask the seller which category your agreement falls into and save information about the guarantee.

Search for the organiser in the Norwegian Travel Guarantee Fund’s member list, available on its page for travellers⁠. Check the legal company name on your agreement and invoice. The brand in an advertisement may have a different name from the registered company. Contact the Fund if you cannot find the company or are unsure about its guarantee.

What does the travel guarantee cover if a company goes bankrupt?

The guarantee is intended to secure repayment of payments for services that are not provided because of insolvency. Insolvency means inability to pay; bankruptcy is a typical situation where the guarantee may apply.

If the package holiday includes passenger transport, the guarantee must also cover transport home. Section 43 of the Act⁠ also covers necessary accommodation and other necessary expenses before you travel home. The Norwegian Travel Guarantee Fund explains how it may arrange alternative transport home or temporary accommodation.

This is not general protection against every problem on holiday. Disappointment with a hotel, ordinary cancellation and wanting a cheaper trip are different matters. A flight ticket on its own or a hotel night on its own is normally not covered by this guarantee scheme.

For a linked travel arrangement, the trader must provide a guarantee for the services for which it receives payment. This does not necessarily mean that all your separate purchases have the same protection. The information form you received when booking and the specific agreement matter.

What should you do if the bankruptcy happens before departure?

Find the official notice from the Norwegian Travel Guarantee Fund or the guarantee scheme that applies to the organiser. It should tell you what to do in that specific bankruptcy.

Gather your documents before submitting a claim. Check whether the trip will actually go ahead and whether any flight tickets remain valid. Do not assume all services stop at the same time. The Fund says some trips may in certain cases go ahead as planned.

Do not buy a new, expensive trip just because you fear the organiser may go bankrupt and assume the Fund will pay. The Fund’s guidance says replacement purchases you make out of fear of bankruptcy are outside the guarantee. Ask for clarification about the situation and what steps you may take.

Save messages from the organiser, the date you received information and any replies from the Fund. If you or the organiser had already cancelled the trip before the bankruptcy, disclose this. The claim portal asks specifically about it; do not treat that case as identical to a trip that was still agreed when the bankruptcy occurred.

What should you do if you are already at your destination?

Contact the Fund according to the bankruptcy notice and clearly say that you need help getting home. State where you are, who is travelling with you, the planned return date and the booking reference.

The Norwegian Travel Guarantee Fund says it decides whether to arrange alternative transport or ask the traveller to arrange it. You do not make that decision on your own. Ask for instructions before booking a new flight or paying for a new hotel stay that you intend to claim.

For an urgent case, explain what is urgent: a departure time, a hotel requiring new payment or having no valid journey home. Attach travel documents and ask for written confirmation of the solution. Keep receipts for necessary expenses and note any oral instructions.

How do you submit a complete claim?

Use the claim form linked from the official bankruptcy notice or the Fund’s website. Check that you select the correct organiser and list only what you actually paid, as requested by the claim portal⁠.

Have these ready:

  • the package travel agreement and documents showing which services you bought
  • ticket or order confirmations, dates and traveller details
  • the paid invoice and payment evidence showing the transaction
  • your bank account number and evidence of who owns the account
  • information about claims against a bank, insurer or other parties
  • authorisation if you are applying on someone else’s behalf.

For an account abroad, IBAN and SWIFT may be required. Follow the portal’s attachment requirements. Do not send unrelated bank information beyond what is needed to document the payment and account.

Explain the amount: “I paid [amount] for [flight and hotel] for a trip planned for [dates]. The services were not provided because of the organiser’s insolvency. The agreement, confirmation and proof of payment are attached.” Save the submission confirmation and respond to requests for missing documents.

What is the deadline for the claim?

Section 45 of the Package Travel Act⁠ says claims to the Norwegian Travel Guarantee Fund must be submitted within six months after the package holiday was due to end. For linked travel arrangements, the deadline is calculated from the date on which the relevant service was due to be provided. The Fund’s claim form, checked on 3 October 2026, also states a six-month deadline.

Still submit your claim promptly and follow the instructions in the notice for the specific bankruptcy. Do not use a deadline from an old news story about another company as a general rule. If different dates are stated and you are unsure, ask the Fund to clarify the deadline in writing immediately.

The law says repayment for services not provided must be made without undue delay when requested. This is not a guarantee that everyone will receive money on a particular day. The Fund must check the claim, and processing time may vary with the documents and scale of the bankruptcy.

What if the organiser is foreign or there is no guarantee?

Check which guarantee scheme applies to the company. The destination and the fact that you live in Norway do not by themselves determine which fund handles your claim.

Under section 42 of the Act, a guarantee provided in another EEA state is treated as equivalent to a Norwegian travel guarantee when the organiser is established there. Contact the Norwegian Travel Guarantee Fund if you need help finding or checking the correct scheme. If you buy from a company outside the EEA, be especially careful to confirm that a guarantee actually exists; do not assume Norwegian coverage.

If no guarantee exists and you paid by credit card, you may also have a valid claim against the card issuer under the rules explained by the Norwegian Consumer Council (Forbrukerrådet)⁠. Contact your bank promptly. Tell the Fund about other claims and payments. Do not report the same financial loss as still unpaid after it has been reimbursed.

Travel insurance is a separate scheme; check its terms instead of assuming it covers bankruptcy. Ordinary consumer complaints also follow separate routes. SamfunnPrep’s practical tools can help you navigate Norwegian services while following up.