Secure My Booking Refund Dispute. When Ticket Protection Fails and How We Challenged It

Secure My Booking refund refused

If you’ve found this page because Secure My Booking has refused your refund, you’re not alone. I'm guessing that based on ur experience, many customers feel the claims process is unclear, unfair, or stacked against them, especially around the 60-day claim rule. This is a real case showing what happened when we challenged it.

 

This is one of those situations where, if you didn’t know your ground, you’d probably just sigh and walk away.

We bought theatre tickets through ATG Tickets. At checkout, like most people do, we added Ticket Refund Protection. It wasn’t sold as anything complex. Just peace of mind. If something genuine stops you going, you’re covered.

The tickets were £77.50 each. We bought two. The protection cost £9.50.

Not long before the performance, my wife became ill and we couldn’t attend. It was frustrating, but we didn’t panic. This was exactly the scenario the protection was meant for.

That’s where things started to unravel.

 

Where things went wrong with Secure My Booking’s claims process

To make a claim with Secure My Booking through their website, the process was clear as it asked the question "Can you provide supporting documents such as a medical letter, police report, proof of transport failure, or any support your refund application?", a fair enough question, medical evidence was required, as their website confirmed "To process a refund application, we must have supporting documentation of the incident to help us ensure refund applications are processed quickly and accurately so we can provide you with the best service."

This meant that we had to complete a GP form, and get it approved by the GP. When we contacted the surgery, we were told it could take several weeks. In reality, it took seven weeks and cost £36.

Always, it's this part from the Secure My Booking website that was the interesting bit, when you select “No” to answer the fact that you haven't yet got supporting documentation, the system doesn’t let you proceed. There’s no explanation. No guidance. Just a message saying you can start a claim until you have the supporting evidence. It simply stops you.

So, like most reasonable people would, we waited. The system made it look as though you had to.

 

The rejection

Once the GP form came back, we submitted the claim immediately. That’s when Secure My Booking rejected it, saying the claim hadn’t been submitted within 60 days of the event.

Technically, that clause exists in their terms. But that was never really the point.

The issue wasn’t that we ignored the deadline. The issue was that their own process guided us into missing it. Their website design, their wording, and their lack of explanation all pointed in one direction. Wait until you have the evidence.

I would guess that a common frustration with Secure My Booking is that customers feel unable to submit a claim until medical evidence is available, only to later be told the claim is out of time. That mismatch between process and terms is where many disputes start. BUT in reality, you can start a claim, Secure My Booking will just put it on "Hold" for you.

 

Why this wasn’t just bad luck

A consumer can’t be expected to meet a contractual deadline if the trader’s own system makes it unclear or practically impossible to comply. That isn’t clever lawyering. It’s basic fairness.

We challenged the decision. Secure My Booking dug their heels in. Everything came back to the same line. Sixty days. End of discussion.

 

Escalating a Secure My Booking dispute through STAR

Secure My Booking is a member of STAR (the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers). STAR runs an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process for the ticketing industry.

We submitted everything. Medical evidence. Proof of GP contact. Prescription dates. Screenshots. The full email trail. 

STAR accepted the case into ADR, but Secure My Booking still refused to move. They relied entirely on the wording of their terms and conditions and would not consider how their process had contributed to the problem.

Eventually, STAR confirmed they couldn’t resolve the dispute through ADR. That sounds like a dead end, but it isn’t. ADR isn’t a court. It’s a record of reasonableness, and it shows that you’ve tried to resolve things properly.

 

The turning point. The Letter Before Action

At that point, many people give up. We didn’t.

At every contact with STAR, we did say that if we didn't get a good response, then we would take this to the small claims court, as we truly believed that we were in the right and the Secure My Booking processes were at fault. 

So, we prepared a formal Letter Before Action (it's a free process, you just need to write one) and sent to Secure My Booking (first class and signed for). It wasn’t aggressive or emotional. It simply set out the timeline, explained where the process had failed, referenced the evidence we held, and made it clear that we were prepared to issue a small claim if the matter wasn’t resolved.

By this time we also had evidence from two online chats where we were not told that a claim could be started without medical evidence.

 

The outcome

After receiving the Letter Before Action, Secure My Booking changed position, and changed it immediately, my wife got a call from them and they seemed to be extremely apologetic.

They agreed to refund the full ticket price. More importantly, they also acknowledged that their online claims process was not working as it should and confirmed that steps would be taken to change it.

That admission is the real outcome here.

This wasn’t about winning on a technicality. It was about challenging a system that didn’t work properly and pushed responsibility onto the customer when it shouldn’t have.

 

What this case shows

Terms and conditions don’t exist in isolation. They only work if the process around them is clear, fair, and transparent. A deadline isn’t automatically enforceable if the customer is misled about how to meet it.

If you find yourself in a similar position, a few things really matter. Take screenshots as you go. Save chat transcripts. Keep dates clear. Use ADR if it exists, but don’t assume it’s the final word. And don’t underestimate how effective a well-written Letter Before Action can be.

Most people give up because they’re told “it’s in the terms”. That doesn’t always mean it’s right.

Sometimes, it just means nobody has pushed back yet.

 

FAQ from this claim

My ATG Tickets refund was refused. Who do I complain to?
The claim itself is handled by Secure My Booking, not ATG Tickets. However, ATG is the retailer that sold the protection, which can be relevant when explaining how the product was presented at the point of sale.

Who are Secure My Booking?
Secure My Booking is a third-party company that administers ticket refund protection sold alongside theatre and event tickets by retailers such as ATG Tickets.

ATG Tickets sold me refund protection. Why won’t Secure My Booking pay out?
Many disputes arise because Secure My Booking applies a strict 60-day claim deadline, even where customers feel the claims process required them to wait for medical evidence before submitting. 

Can I complain about Secure My Booking through the Finacial Ombudsmen?
Unfortunately not, the Financial Ombudsmen only deal with regulated financial institutions, which Secure My Booking isn't.

Is Secure My Booking insurance or ticket protection?
It’s usually sold as ticket protection rather than a regulated insurance policy. That distinction matters because it affects which complaint routes are available.

Why do Secure My Booking refunds get rejected?
A common reason is the 60-day claim deadline. Many customers only discover this after their claim is rejected, often because they believed they had to wait for medical evidence before submitting.

Can I start a Secure My Booking claim without medical evidence?
In practice, many customers feel the online process suggests they cannot. This lack of clarity is at the heart of many disputes, especially where GP forms take weeks to obtain.

Is the 60-day Secure My Booking rule always enforceable?
A deadline may exist in the terms, but if the claims process itself makes compliance unclear or impossible, that can be challenged on fairness grounds.

What if my GP took too long to provide a medical form?
Delays caused by GP surgeries are outside the customer’s control. If the claims process required evidence before submission, this becomes a key point in any dispute. If you think your GP may take a while to get back to you, talk to Secure My Booking and let them knwo that you want them to start a claim and to put it on HOLD until you have your medical evidence. 

What evidence should I keep when dealing with Secure My Booking?
Screenshots of the claims process, chat transcripts, proof of medical contact, prescription dates, emails, and a clear timeline can all be important.

Can I complain to STAR about Secure My Booking?
Yes. Secure My Booking is a STAR member, and STAR offers an Alternative Dispute Resolution process. ADR is free to use but outcomes are not legally binding.

What if STAR can’t resolve the dispute?
ADR does not prevent you from taking court action. It shows you acted reasonably and tried to resolve the issue before escalating. In this case, we were determined to go to small caims as the Secure My Booking process is very unfair and not transparent.

Do I need a solicitor to challenge Secure My Booking?
In many cases, no. Small claims are designed for ordinary consumers, and clear records plus a well-written Letter Before Action can be very effective.

What is a Letter Before Action?
It’s a formal letter setting out the facts, the issue, and what you’re seeking, giving the company a final chance to resolve matters before court action. If you can't find a template online, let us know and we'll sort one out for you.

Can Secure My Booking change their decision after a Letter Before Action?
Yes. In our case, the dispute was resolved only after a Letter Before Action was issued, and process issues and problems that we flagged were acknowledged.

Is it worth challenging Secure My Booking if the amount isn’t huge?
That’s a personal choice, but small amounts add up. Challenging unfair processes can also lead to wider changes that help other customers, that's the only reason why we pushed the claim!