If you have purchased your hearing aids through Hearing Revolution, you know that your hearing aids come with a three year warranty that covers loss, damage, and repair. If you have purchased your hearing aids somewhere else, they most likely came with paperwork that tells you whether you have a one, two, or three year warranty. No matter what your warranty is when the aids are new, eventually it will expire. I have seen many questions and queries about what to do when the warranty on your hearing aids expires, so I have put together some options and ideas to help.
One option you have is to do nothing. If your hearing aid breaks and needs to go in for repair, you will be able to repair the aid and get a new warranty with it, usually 6 months or 12 months. This can be a great option, as a hearing aid repair will probably run you $150-200 depending on the manufacturer, the age of the hearing aids, and what length of warranty the hearing aid comes back with. Repair warranties will not cover you against loss or damage, but they will cover you for any more repairs that need to be done in the time period of the warranty. Until a hearing aid hits the mark of being five years old, this is a good solution if you are not a person who frequently loses or damages his or her hearing aids (trust me…you and your audiologist will BOTH know if you are!)
A second option is to purchase hearing aid insurance from a third party. While there are several companies out there who do this, I would recommend ESCO. Through ESCO, you can choose whether or not to cover your aids for repairs, loss, and damage, or just for loss and damage. You are able to select the plan that works best for your lifestyle and needs, there is minimal paperwork for both you and your audiologist to fill out, and it can be updated annually. Under this service, if you lose, damage, or need a repair on your instrument, ESCO approves the repair or remake and it’s a simple process to have the aid repaired or replaced. Cost can run from $100-300 per ear per year, depending on the make, model, and age of your instruments. For those interested, here is a link to the website:
The third option you have when it comes to coverage for your instruments is to contact your current homeowner’s insurance company and ask if it is possible to cover under them. Results and coverage will vary per plan, but it’s always free to call and ask what they can do for you! I have had patients insure their hearing aids under their Homeowners’ Insurance. The downside of this particular method is that usually (as with most insurance things) there may be a longer waiting period in order to approve getting a new hearing aid should the old one (covered) be lost. This is probably not the best option for everyone, but it is worth mentioning.
So, the moral of the story (aside from “Don’t lose your hearing aids!”) is that when your manufacturer’s warranty runs out, all hope is not lost. You have options and you do not have to leave your hearing aids uninsured. Please feel free to contact us at Hearing Revolution with any questions or comments.
