We never expect it to happen to us, but then it does. In my case this has happened twice. I am, of course, talking about losing my mobile phone.

The first time I lost my valuable mobile was due to too many beers on a boys night out. I'd been using my phone while on my homeward journey in a taxi and I must have left it on the back seat of the cab. I didn't realise what had happened until the following day when I called the cab firm only to hear that they didn't have my phone. I suddenly became aware of how much of my life was stored on that little device.

I vowed that I would be far more careful in future and get myself some mobile phone insurance to cover the cost of replacement. The expense was actually the last thing on my mind as I'd lost a whole load of important telephone numbers and contact details that weren't stored anywhere else.

Everybody does it. When we run into an old friend or make a new contact we immediately enter their contact details into our mobile phones and often don't even think about transfering those details to an address book.

I then went and lost my replacement phone on another night out, but this time I wasn't drunk. I was convinced that a pickpocket had lifted my mobile from my pocket in the nightclub. The truth is that I probably dropped it on the floor when removing cash to pay for drinks at the bar. I told the nightclub staff but, not surprisingly, my phone never re-appeared.

Unfortunately I had not taken out the mobile phone insurance policy that I'd said I would. But due to the pain caused by my previous loss I had at least made note of many of the contact details stored on the phone.

I suppose there is a moral to this sorry tale? Maybe a little one. But I recommend that you routinely backup all of the contact details stored on your phone and get yourself some insurance cover.

Olan Butler – Technology Specialist – Computer Services