Belcare Disclaimer
First Year Limited Warranty
All Beltone hearing instruments are covered by a Limited Manufacturer’s Warranty. The term of coverage is 12 months from the date of shipment to the patient, unless excluded under paragraph 4 below. In some cases, extended warranties may be purchased during the life of your hearing instruments.
The terms of the Warranty are these:
- The hearing aids registered are warranted to be free from defects in workmanship and materials at time of shipment. For a period of one year from date of shipment, we will make all necessary repairs promptly and without charge.
- If a hearing aid requires repair or service, it should be returned to the Beltone practitioner of purchase. If the hearing aid was purchased in the U.S. or Canada, you may also return it to any authorized Beltone practitioner in the U.S. or Canada for service. The practitioner will check your aid and determine if a factory repair is necessary. Shipping costs to and from the factory, if any, are the responsibility of the patient.
- There are no express warranties other than those stated here. The Beltone practitioner from whom the hearing aid was purchased is an independent local businessperson and not an agent of Beltone Corporation. The practitioner is not authorized to extend or alter the terms of this warranty.
- Not covered unless otherwise indicated: cords, batteries, tubing and ear molds; breakage or damage resulting from accident, abuse, dropping, mishandling, or misuse; attempts to repair, open, or take apart the hearing aid by persons other than authorized Beltone practitioners or their employees, except to remove cords and batteries. The degree of hearing improvement and hearing satisfaction is dependent upon the proper fitting and adjustment by the Beltone practitioner from whom it was purchased and is not covered under this policy.
- This warranty gives you specific rights. You may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
First Year ‘Lost, Stolen and Damaged’ Plan
All Beltone hearing instruments purchased from a practitioner participating in BelCare are covered by a ‘Lost, Stolen and Damaged’ (LS&D) plan. The LS&D plan provides for one replacement of an instrument that is stolen, accidentally lost, or damaged. Any replacement instrument will be the same model as the original instrument. The term of coverage is 12 months from the date of shipment to the patient. A claim form must be completed for each instrument that is lost, stolen or damaged. A deductible fee will apply. No LS&D coverage is available from Beltone, through purchase or otherwise, for instruments sold by a practitioner who is not participating in BelCare.
Replacement of an instrument under the LS&D plan does not extend the coverage of LS&D, the warranty, or the hearing loss protection plan, in any way. Any replacement instrument assumes any warranty, and any unused hearing loss protection coverage, remaining on the original instrument. This coverage is not transferable and applies only to the original purchaser. No cash compensation will be paid in lieu of replacement.
Excluded from coverage are:
- Ordinary wear and obsolescence
- Damage resulting from an attempted repair by anyone other than Beltone or an authorized Beltone representative
- Intentional or fraudulent loss or damage
- Damage resulting from improper care or maintenance, Ear molds, eyeglass frames or lenses, receivers, receiver cords or batteries
You may also purchase a second-year or third-year warranty and LS&D coverage for a nominal fee. Ask your participating BelCare practitioner for details. Please note: remakes due to physical fit are only covered under the first-year warranty.
Two-Year Protection for Change in Hearing Loss
All Beltone brand hearing instruments purchased from a practitioner participating in BelCare are covered by a hearing loss protection plan. If, at any time within two years of purchase, you experience a permanent, measurable sensorineural hearing loss of at least 15 decibels, compared to the hearing loss recorded at time of original purchase, you are eligible for benefits under this plan. The measurable change is calculated by averaging the measured loss at intervals of 500, 1,000 and 2,000 Hz.
The term of the coverage is 24 months from the date of shipment of your hearing aids. The plan provides for one free upgrade of your hearing aid, or an exchange to a like-instrument of the same type as the original instrument, but with more appropriate output and gain. The replacement instrument must be approved by Beltone Audiological Services. Every attempt will be made to maintain the same style and model family as originally purchased. If one hearing aid was originally purchased, and the subsequent measured loss requires the use of two hearing aids, only one free upgrade or exchange is allowed. Any required second hearing aid will be purchased at regular price. If you wish to select another type of instrument (one that is not required by the change in hearing loss), you will be charged the price difference between the aid recommended by Beltone and the hearing aid you request, if it is more expensive.