A lot of people still see cell phones as a luxury rather than a necessity. True, those people who wander around the grocery store with a BlueTooth headset in their ears, looking like Borg drones sent to assimilate shoppers, may be taking things a bit far. Do you really need to chat about that morning's doctor appointment, complete with graphic description, in the cereal aisle? (Here's a hint: No.) You may even avoid some of the latest features offered on cell phones because you think they're just extras added on just to pry more money out of you. If you want to take a picture, you'll use a camera, not your phone, right? And no one should be talking on a cell phone while they're driving. That's just asking for trouble. But if trouble does come along anyway and you're involved in an accident, a cell phone can be a kind of supplement to your auto insurance.

Ok, let's get the obvious use out of the way. If you're in an accident, you need to call 911, especially if there are any injuries. You shouldn't have to run around looking for a phone to call an ambulance when someone is hurt in an accident. And if that someone is you, you'll be grateful if the other driver has a cell phone.

Aside from injuries and reporting the accident to the police, there are other calls to make. If you were on your way to work, you need to call your boss and explain why you're going to be late. You also need to call a spouse or other family member to let them know what happened. And you need to call your insurance company and get a claim started as quickly as possible.

The sooner the claim process is begun, the sooner you can get your vehicle repaired and back on the road. The insurance company will also need information about what occurred, when, and where, things you may forget once you've left the scene of the accident, or that you may not notice without prompting questions because you're understandably shaken up by just having been in an accident. Getting an insurance agent on the phone as soon after the accident as possible will allow them to walk you through those questions and get the information they need that will help them serve you better.

Now, just any cell phone will serve this purpose. But before you turn down any of those bells and whistles when you buy a new phone, think about how they might help you in the event of an accident. Many cell phones now come with built-in cameras, some with better quality than others. Sure, you're always going to get better resolution from a digital camera, but if you're in an accident, a camera phone can really come in handy.

Depending on where the accident occurs, and if it's a minor fender bender, you may need to move your car from the roadway as quickly as possible to avoid causing a traffic jam. Before you do this, it's a good idea to snap a few photos of both (or all) the vehicles involved, and where they are in relation to each other before you move them. Get a few shots of the damage to your car. If you're the one who rear-ended someone else, be sure to get photos of the damage you caused so it can't be exaggerated later by an unscrupulous driver trying to get more money out of you. You can show these photos to the police when they arrive, and to the agent handling your auto insurance claim. And if things escalate and you end up in court because of the accident, photos may be important evidence to help your case.

Say you get rear-ended and the other driver decides to flee the scene. With your camera phone, you may be able to get a shot of the vehicle, or at least its license plate, before it speeds away. But even if preparing the camera takes too much time and the car is gone by the time you're ready to take the photo, if your phone has voice memo capability, you can at least record the license plate number before you forget it, and you can provide this information to the police and your insurance company. Depending on how long of a message your phone can record, you may also want to turn that feature on if the other driver stays in order to record any conversation you may have. Most states allow this as long as both parties know the conversation is being recorded, and in some states, it's enough for just one party to be aware of it. Check your state's laws before using your cell phone in this manner.

It's unpleasant to think about it, but if you're in an accident, there's a chance you may be badly injured and unable to call for help, or to notify your loved ones that you're being taken to the hospital. Your cell phone can come to your rescue here as well. It's becoming common practice for people to enter ICE numbers in their contacts list. These are In Case of Emergency numbers that will allow emergency personnel to quickly find and call those people who need to be notified that you've been hurt. You may even enter a contact as “ICE-Husband,” or “ICE-Mom” so that emergency workers know whom they're calling. You may also list numbers as “ICE-1,” “ICE-2” and so on. This signifies an order of whom to call in case the primary contact can't be reached.

Maybe someday insurance companies will give cell phones as free gifts when you buy an auto policy, the way banks used to give away toasters with new accounts. Until then, even if you hardly ever use it otherwise, it may be a good idea to get one yourself, just in case.

Created by Auto Insurance .org