What Does My Hearing Aid Warranty Cover?

Hearing aid warranties are guarantees that you get with your hearing aids that provide cover if they malfunction. Most warranties avoid you having to pay out of pocket. Typically, they will often provide you with replacement hearing aids if they stop working or, in some cases, give you your money back. 

Different hearing aids come with different warranties. Most hearing aids come with a standard year's warranty coverage on parts. So, for instance, if the speaker malfunctions and no longer delivers sound to your ears, the manufacturer will replace either the part or the entire unit. 

Some vendors go beyond this basic form of warranty and offer repair, loss and damage coverage. So, for example, if your hearing aid requires repairs, they will also pay for the cost of labor.

You can also get extended warranties on many hearing aids. These provide cover that lasts two or three years, depending on the option you select. Longer coverage tends to be more common on high-end devices since manufacturers can cover their costs by wrapping them up into higher sale prices. 

Don’t assume that hearing aid warranties are the same for all hearing aids. Sometimes, the degree of cover you have varies with the provider you use. You will need to check with your audiologists how long your warranty will last. 

Hearing Aid Warranty Coverage

What precisely your hearing aid warranty covers will depend on the manufacturer, so always consult the documents that come with your hearing aids. Typically, warranties cover the following circumstances: 

• Loss of the hearing aid during everyday use
• Accidental destruction of the hearing aid
• Damage caused to the hearing aid, both unpreventable and preventable circumstances.
• Repairs required for individual components that might fail 

In many cases, manufacturers will not attempt to repair the hearing aid at all and simply replace it outright. Other times, they will send it to a repair facility. If they choose this option, you may have to wait to get your hearing aid back. In some cases, hearing aid manufacturers have sites around the country where you can take your hearing aids for approved repair work locally. 

Do You Have to Pay Deductibles? 

Some hearing aid manufacturers may require you to pay a deductible. A deductible is simply a small upfront fee you must pay to get access to the terms of the warranty. It works similarly to other forms of insurance. 

Most manufacturers will replace your hearing aid outright at least once. To pay for this, they factor in the cost of replacement into every device that they sell. However, most will not replace your hearing aid a second time, even if the reasons for replacement fall under the terms of the original warranty. Instead, they may insist that you seek repairs.

At the end of the first year of ownership, you may be able to extend your initial hearing aid warranty by paying an upfront fee. The manufacturer may give you the option to extend it for a year or two, depending on their terms and conditions. These are called extended warranties. 

Does the Warranty Cover the Life of the Hearing Aid? 

Unfortunately, even extended warranties are unlikely to cover the entire life of your hearing aid. Most hearing aids last for about six years when looked after correctly. Some can last even longer under the right conditions.

The good news is that hearing aid manufacturing quality is extremely high, meaning that if you look after your devices, they are likely to last for a long time. If you are worried, you can take out a dedicated insurance policy on your hearing aids that will cover you in the event of a disaster. This is similar to a separate insurance policy that you might take out on an expensive bicycle or musical instrument. 

In some cases, your homeowner insurance policy will cover your hearing aids. However, please note that most homeowner policies do not cover hearing aids. If you are worried about hearing aids or don’t know which to choose, always consult with your audiologist. They will be able to give you more information on how to look after them, the warranties are available on various models and their replacement values. 

To learn more about hearing aid warranty cover, please get in touch with EarTech Audiology at (866) 464-1008.