The Big Dilemma of Medical Alert Warranty

Limited or standard warranty

In cases where a medical alert company advertises a warranty for its products, it typically lasts for one or two years from the date of purchase and provides protection against a limited number of circumstances. For example, if the device arrives to your doorstep damaged or it doesn’t work properly after installation, then the company will send a free replacement. Whether or not you will need to pay for the shipping of this depends on the provider in question, but in most situations you should expect an uphill battle to prove that it wasn’t you who caused the damage.

The most frequent reason that someone might need the warranty is to request a battery replacement. The help buttons, pendants and the portable base stations come with a built-in battery that can be only replaced by the company. Don’t tinker with the unit yourself because this will violate any warranty; contact the operators via phone instead and ask for this to be resolved. This process will again involve sending the equipment back and waiting for a new one to arrive, although most companies pay the shipping fee in these cases. Unfortunately, factory flaws and battery swaps are the only major faults that are covered by a standard warranty.

Premium protection

If the limited warranty doesn’t cover damaged or stolen objects, then what can be done to avoid paying a hefty fee for the replacement? Don’t worry, since medical alert companies will have you covered with a small insurance fee, usually called something like ‘premium’ or ‘premiere’ protection. This is basically either a small subscription or a one-time charge to receive an extended warranty, but the term ‘premium protection’ certainly has a better ring to it. By deciding to pay for this you’ll become eligible for one cost-free replacement, now covering a wider range damages and even theft.

Premium warranties come in many flavors depending on the company selling them. Medical Guardian and Bay Alarm Medical charge an extra $5 per month, though the latter will also send through a surge protector as a gift too. Other providers might ask for a one-time payment or include a full warranty as part of a higher-tier subscription plan. Mind you, paid warranties won’t guarantee an infinite number of replacements and after the first one you will need to arrange another option, otherwise you’ll be fined if the device breaks again.

Elderly patients suffering from dementia are likely to forget where they placed the help button, in which case it might be safer to order multiple pendants or wristbands. However, should the aging relative still be in top shape physically and mentally and wants to avoid spending too much, then it’s worth the risk of not added extra protection. Just make sure to highlight the costs involved, and therefore the importance of taking care of the medical alert unit.