What happens if my flight is not ATOL protected?

What happens if my flight is not ATOL protected?

If you book a flight with an ATOL holder (either direct or through a travel agent) and you get an ATOL Certificate as soon as you make payment, your booking is protected if the ATOL holder fails and the ATOL holder is also obliged to offer a refund should the airline that you are booked with fail financially.