An email account that does not require a phone number to verify a login could save you from being locked out of almost everything else. My cell phone service provider requires me to do an email verification to move my service to a new SIM (what you do when you lose your phone). If my mail account required me to do a text message verification to login I would be screwed.
That's why I keep one that's completely separate from any other services i have. It's the "Oh shit" address.
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