New hearing instruments usually come with a warranty from the manufacturer. They can range from 1 to 3 years, depending upon the level of technology. Most initial warranties have 2 parts: a one-time loss/damage policy and a repair warranty. The repair warranty can be used at any time there is a malfunction, and can also be used as an annual factory clean and check. A repair usually takes about 2 weeks round trip. The loss/damage policy can only be used one time per hearing instrument. A deductible fee is charged if the loss/damage policy is used.

The original warranty can be extended in most cases up to 5 years, but some companies only allow 3 to 4 years of warranty. If the warranty has not lapsed, then both parts of the warranty (explained above) can be extended. Costs vary between the manufacturers.

If the hearing device is out of warranty, and has a malfunction, depending upon the age, the device can oftentimes be sent in for repair. The repair fee will include either 6 months or a 1 year “repair only” warranty (no loss/damage policy). If the device is older than 5 years of age, it is usually best to consider purchasing new ones as the average life of a hearing instrument is 3 to 5 years. There are exceptions, but the older the hearing instrument; the more costly it becomes to repair. Be sure to ask your audiologist for specifics.