There's also what happened to me last year - my email address with Virginmedia was one I'd had forever, and they decided that they wanted to stop running the server for this old account.

So it was switched off - without warning to me - and ALL of my other accounts were set it use it.

Not only did I lose all of my emails - but I then had to get a new email address and work through all of the sites that I have accounts with to get it changed.

Some were easy - others weren't - and some I've lost.

Take care to have recovery options, to know where you're using the email, and have copies of important information and links somewhere (safe) that you can access!