Travel insurance can cover a wider range of situations than many people realise, according to a lawyer who deals with insurance disputes in a report by Ilta-Sanomat. The protection is not limited to lost luggage or illness, but may also apply to other unexpected costs that travellers do not immediately connect with their policy.

The lawyer says the main problem is that many people do not notice they may be entitled to compensation. As a result, money is left unclaimed even when the conditions for payment exist. In practice, that can mean travellers pay for certain expenses themselves simply because they never checked whether the policy could help.

For travellers, the message is to review the terms carefully, especially when something unusual happens during a trip. If the situation seems unclear, it may still be worth checking whether a claim can be made before the chance is lost.