Statistics show that around 88% of us don't leave home without our mobile phones. Reliance on these incredibly popular and useful devices means that losing one can result in some serious headaches.

But mobile phones have become increasingly compact and lightweight and people often misplace them or they fall out of pockets without our knowledge. In 2008 around 200,000 mobile phones went into washing machines, around 600,000 were dropped down the loo and 55,000 were left in the back of taxis.

We must also consider the very real possibility that a phone may be stolen. There are over 2 million mobile phones stolen in the UK every year. This means that around one is stolen every 12 seconds and this frightening figure is on the increase.

If a mobile phone is lost there is the initial financial headache of replacement. But there may also be phone bills accrued by a thief between the time the phone was stolen and the time it was eventually disabled. Then there are the problems that will arise as a result of losing contact details and other valuable data stored on the mobile phone.

It has been estimated that as few as only 1 in 5 mobile phone users bother to back up their SIM card data to a separate secure storage device. Although most phones come with software that makes it easy to backup data from the phone to a computer few people take advantage of this.

So what can we each do to protect ourselves and our valuable data against loss or theft?

1. Firstly, don't make it easy for a thief to steal your mobile phone. Never ever leave your phone unattended in your car and always store it securely.
2. Make certain to record the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number from your mobile phone. This is a unique number associated with every mobile phone that can be used to disable the phone if it has been lost or stolen.
3. You can set your mobile phone to only operate after a configured PIN has been entered. This can be a bit of a nuisance but it will prevent a thief from running up substantial bills on your account.
4. Another simple suggestion is to switch your phone to silent alert or vibrate mode when in busy public places so that no one is alerted if your phone rings.
5. You might consider labelling your mobile phone by engraving your name and car registration details onto your phone and its battery. Alternatively you might like to use a system for attaching unique serial number stickers to your phone (as provided by trackitback.com) to your phone which will help identify your phone if it is lost or stolen.
6. Get into the habit of backing up your SIM card data as often as possible. As a general rule you should back up your phone data as often as possible which should be every day if you are updating your contacts or appointments every day.
7. Finally, make certain that you have some mobile phone insurance that provides the protection that you need. Remember that not all mobile phone insurance policies are the same so be certain to read the details and ensure that you get the cover that you want.

By following these steps hopefully you and your phone will not become part of future lost or stolen mobile phone statistics.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

You may also like to protect your income with income protection and don't overlook the need to protect other devices with some useful gadget insurance.