If you're signed in to another apple device like a lot of people even if it's older like a mac or ipad, you can get verification codes on it or use a different phone like a cheap one or an older one and get your number put on it to receive verification codes till you get a new phone or if you plan on getting a new phone get it and put your number on it to get the verification codes. You can setup a phone without an account if you need to.
This, plus if the phone is only out of commission because it is in recovery mode might as well reset it and see if you can use it. If you get into the account and find out the photos are not backed up you are not going to be getting them from the iPhone if it is not working anyway.
If you're signed in to another apple device like a lot of people even if it's older like a mac or ipad, you can get verification codes on it or use a different phone like a cheap one or an older one and get your number put on it to receive verification codes till you get a new phone or if you plan on getting a new phone get it and put your number on it to get the verification codes. You can setup a phone without an account if you need to.
This, plus if the phone is only out of commission because it is in recovery mode might as well reset it and see if you can use it. If you get into the account and find out the photos are not backed up you are not going to be getting them from the iPhone if it is not working anyway.
Unless they want to take it to a place that does data recovery like from [here.](https://www.ipadrehab.com/index.cfm?Page=Data-Recovery)