The Alert1 medical alert system is a good option for traditional and cellular medical alert systems. They boast 20 years of service and over 250,000 customers to date.
Product Info: Alert1 Medical Alert System
- Name: Alert1 Medical Alert System
- Website Info: http://www.alert-1.com
- Auto Fall Detection?: yes
- Mobile (Cellular) Option?: yes
- Equipment Cost: $0
- Monthly Cost: $19.95-$52.95 (in-home, mobile, and bundles)
- Features: Waterproof Pendant and Wristband Alert Buttons, 2-way communication on mobile option, Wireless, 24/7 Monitoring, Easy Termination Process, US Based (contracted) Care Center, 30 Day Money Back Guarantee.
Review: The Alert1 Medical Alert For Seniors
Alert1 (formally known as AlertOne) provides an economical choice for traditional medical alert systems. With over 250,000 families having used the Alert1 to date, it would seem that they have a lot of experience to draw from. Alert1 offers pendant necklace and wristband alert button (options) as well as extra room and hallway buttons. In addition to the traditional medical alert system offered by Alert1, they have added a Fall Detection and Cellular option to the list of products to choose from.
Alert1 Fall Detection
The fall detection option from Alert1 is a small comfortable pendant that boasts a two-year battery life span and is 100% waterproof. The pendant works up to 600 feet from the base unit, so make sure to place the base unit in a central area that reaches all bathrooms and other high fall-risk areas. Monthly plans for automatic fall detection start at $30.95.
Alert1 Mobile (Cellular) Option
The cellular option from Alert1 is called the Kelsi; a mobile medical alarm that gets help with the push of a button anywhere in the U.S. So, for those who are not homebound, this discreet option requires no base station. It also has a microphone and speaker to enable two-way communication and is waterproof. The battery works for up to 2 months on a single charge, which is longer than other mobile options we have seen. No equipment to purchase, monthly plans start at $30.95.
New! Pax Plus: Mobile + Home Fall Detection
The newest option from Alert1, the Pax Plus is a comprehensive mobile and home fall detection system. This combination allows flexibility for those who are active in and out of the home. The mobile unit (which also detects falls) can be worn when outside the home keeping the user safe with a two-way speaker unit.
Once back home, charge up the mobile unit (charging cradle included) and wear the lightweight fall detection pendant around the home. Lastly, the classic wristband button is comfortable to wear while sleeping for nighttime safety. Pax Plus starts at $41.95 per month, no equipment to purchase and shipping is free.
The Bottom Line: Alert1
A good choice for traditional in-home use, fall detection, and cellular medical alert technology. No equipment to purchase and no long-term contracts make this well-established company someone to look at when making the choice of medical alert systems.
If you've used the Alert1 Medical Alert System or know someone who has, please give us your opinion in the comment section below!
Alert1 is really innovative going by its functions and the added monitoring features. I have seen cases where a lack of communication aggravated the whole situation when someone fell on the ground. I think the timing is the key and Alert1 is a smart way to keep us informed.
I do not know how to choose better medical alert system, thanks for the interesting article. Now I know that alert1 is good) My mother went with a bracelet of some terrible Chinese brand, and when I came home and checked his work, he simply did not fulfill his basic function. After that, I bought mom and dad bracelets here at QMedic [edited URL – admin] and it works OK, I hope they do not have to use them.
BUYER BEWARE:
My sisters and I signed up for the medical alert program for my 80 year old mother who suffers from a medical condition that can make her so weak that she sometimes cannot get up. We renewed the service each year, and my mother carried the alert necklace with her for about 4 years.
About a year ago, my sister who had signed up for the program passed away. There were other arrangements made for my mother, so she no longer wanted to have the Alert 1 program and called to see how to get the service stopped. She was told she had to wait until the end of the contract (about 11 months) and then send in the hardware that goes with the service. She did that, and obtained a proof of delivery that the hardware had been received by Alert 1.
When the contract period was up, she tried to stop the service and was told she would first have to pay almost $400. She asked for explanation and they tried to tell her the contract wasn’t up. Remember, the contract was with my deceased sister, not my mother. She argued and eventually got someone to agree she did not owe any money and the service would be cancelled.
A few days later, she got another call from customer service saying she owed the $400. She went through the process of explaining everything again, including the fact that the contract was with my deceased sister, not my mother, and that all equipment had been returned and she had proof of receipt.
After another hour and a half on the phone, the customer service agent again agreed she did not owe any money and said she would cancel the service.
A few days later, she got still another call! This agent said she owed $400 and if she didn’t pay, she would be sent to collections. She again refused to pay, explained everything again, and told the agent that this constant calling and demanding money was harassment. Suddenly the agent “found” the returned hardware and agreed that she did not owe anything and said they would cancel the service.
At this time, it appears that Alert 1 has stopped the harassing phone calls, but it has only been about a week, so that isn’t certain yet.
The actual service she received while having the equipment was good, although she never had to use it in an emergency, but the hassle and harassment that occurred at the end of the service was such an awful experience that I would never recommend anyone sign up for this product.
My grandma passed away a couple months ago and we called to cancel the account. They asked us to return the equipment within a set time, which we did, and they continued to bill us. When we called they said we still owed them for the month she had passed (she passed December 1st) AND the month after she had passed, well after we had canceled and returned the 10 year old equipment that they never bothered to inform us that there were upgrades for. We are completely dissatisfied with this company and would not recommend them to anyone. They are greedy, and the service was pretty lousy anyway.
Great review. Thank for share this post !
I am stunned that an annual plan does not allow for a pro-rated refund if you cancel. My mother is having serious problems with defective equipment. Whe there is a power fail, machine vibrates so much and gets hot, that it bounces. If my mother isn’t there to hit a button until power comes back on, she thinks there might be a fire. She just had another power fail and called to ask me to cancel because she is afraid of equipment! We have had good service on emergencies but last tech I spoke with offered no replacement equipment. Said he saw no issues on his end. What do you suggest? Go to Consumer Affairs for help? Thank you.
I’d give them one more try to fix this for you. Let them know you’re going to discuss with BBB if they don’t fix your issue. Many medical alert companies scan our website to see what consumers are saying about them. This is the reason we advocate that consumers understand the Terms & Conditions before signing anything. Get your info in writing (like rebates, how to cancel, etc.) Some companies out there do offer prorated rebates, but many do not.
Thank you. I contacted them today and was able to speak with an outstanding rep who also spoke with my mother and subsequently obtained approval to replace her defective equipment. My mother is so relieved! And I am also relieved that since I cannot obtain any refund, that I have not lost all of my money. They finally believe that my mother is telling the truth; that the equipment is not working properly regardless of their tech not being able to see this remotely. We have had their plan and equipment over 5 years and they have always been great, until this equipment issue. Now that I know they offer no refunds for prepaid annual plans, I will look at going monthly when this annual term lapses, or go to a company that offers pro-rated refunds. Makes no sense that on a monthly plan, I might lose a month’s payment, but on an annual plan, I lose all of my money. To not disclose these terms upfront before automatically taking the money each year does not seem like something consumer affairs or the FTC would find very ethical. Too bad. I honestly think that if they were more transparent, they would have more customer allegiance. Thank you again for your advice. Respectfully.
I have tried contacting you all and I remain on hold for fiften minutes and then the phone hangs up. This is not friendly customer service. I really need to speak with someone concerning this service. I am not happy that we weren’t notfied before being charged for another year subscription. It seems you all are about making money instead of providing quality service to customers. Feeling pissed. (daughter).
Alert 1 billed us for many months of service even though we never turned it on. I’m sure they will reply that they are “sorry my experience wasn’t stellar” and want my account #. So here it is ME81785. I’ll follow up and post what happened.
WARNING! This company will bill you from the time they send the device until it is returned. Even if you don’t activate it! They also don’t offer any kind of refund. Period.
The service itself was fine but the company was terrible in the end. Circumstances were such that my mother’s service was no longer needed right when the annual charge showed up on her credit card. I called to cancel and was told that the company would not cancel without Power of Attorney documentation. This is understandable and I faxed it to them. I called again a few days later and again asked to cancel when I was then told that no cancellation could occur until they received all of their equipment back. I mailed the equipment with tracking and called again after the package had been delivered. On this third call to Alert1 I was then told that since I was past 30 days into the new annual period, their policy was such that my mother had to pay the entire year. They could easily have given me all of the information on the first call made it easier for me to expedite this, but I guess their policy is to complicate and stretch the cancellation process past 30 days so their other policy of keeping a year’s worth of their subscriber’s money can be used.
Hi Paul. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
Hi Steve. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
I think it is very telling that Alert1’s replies are all the same. Yes my service was not stellar. Far from it. It was HORRIBLE! Their robotic replies show how unfocused they are on providing any kind of customer service. Run from this company!
Hi Steve! It really seems like your experience was certainly not the best and we are very sorry for that. We would really like to speak with you regarding your concerns and see if we can resolve them for you! For your privacy and security, please send your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will reach out to you by phone as soon as we receive it. We look forward to speaking with you!
Awful company. Sales rep told me it would ship and be at my house in one business day if I ordered now all for $550 for the year. Week later and we are still waiting for it. Decided to call few other companies and they were half the cost. I complained and said I wanted my money back but was told I have to wait until it comes open package, test product, repackaged and ship back to make sure UPS did not damage the product. Ohhhhhh and the product is not due to arrive until another 3 days. So that puts my delivery exactly 1 week and 2 days from your lie of next day delivery. Do not have your employees to people who are already dealing with a sick loved one.
Hi Sandra. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
I purchased alert 1 about 2 weeks ago for my 91 year old mother. She had 2 false alarms and police showed up at her apartment. She did not push the button at all. She’s so upset that we packed it up and sent it back today. Customer service wanted to charge her 39.95 plus 5.95 shipping for a replacement necklace, the one she had they admitted was defective but yet wanted to charge us. I told them I want 100% refund, we’ll see what happens, l would not recommend this company to anyone,, all they want to do is rip off the elderly who almost all live on a fixed income.
Hi Debbie. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
I wish I had these comments before I signed my mother-in-law up for Alert 1. We just cancelled the service and returned the unit. They received it 8 days after our billing date (I cancelled on the billing date). I was told that I will not get any credit since the unit was not received before the billing date. Even though the representative who gave me the return authorization code told me they had to have the unit before giving me a refund. What a scam.
Hi Janet Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
I purchase an Alert 1 device with the promise of coverage at my mother’s home. Wrong. There was absolutely no coverage. We had the device on less than 5 minutes. Returned the device and cancelled the service. A refund is being issued less the activation fee of $60. So for 5 minutes of service or no service it cost us $60. Got no where with customer service.
Bad public relations. Buyer Beware.
Hi Darlene. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
STAY AWAY…. UNETHICAL BILLING PRACTICES, LIARS and RUDE !!!
Same experiences as all the other reviews. My relative passed away, and we received a cancellation code for the service. Alert 1 billed us for another year, and insisted they had not received the equipment back. IT TOOK A YEAR to stop them from billing my credit card and charging for lost equipment, even though we had a signed receipt from Alert 1 indicating the equipment was returned.
Hi Don. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
My mother just went into hospice and no longer needs this Alert 1 service/device. We were billed for another year with out being notified. Since they billed 50 days before my mom started in Hospice, we=should be eligible for ANY partial refund from an invoice in August that they billed a second years fees to our credit card without a notification. . However, they say we are not eligible for a partial refund.
Sure wish I could get a years pay for 60 days service.
Not real happy. with Alert1.
Hi Shaw. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
I recently purchased a one year subscription and the needed equipment from Alert1 for a medical alert system to be used by my mother ($325). When I contacted my mother, she stated her friend had a much lower priced device that would serve the same purpose and would contact 911 directly, unlike Alert 1, which goes through an operator at Alert1. I researched the other product and it plugs into a home phone and has a pendant that the individual wears. The individual can push a button on the pendant (just like the Alert1 product) and it connects the individual directly to 911. The pendant allows the individual to speak with the 911 operator. This product is a onetime purchase of $125, vs. Alert1 at $325 per year.
I ordered the other product the next day and also contacted Alert1 and informed them that I wanted to cancel the service and get a refund. Using a very inappropriate sales tactic, the customer service representative informed me that her own grandmother had used the device that called 911 directly and had died because of the device. She went on to tell me that the 911 service had eventually gotten tired or responding to her grandmother and stopped responding to her grandmothers 911 calls. The customer service representative encouraged me to keep the Alert1 system so my mother would have the same fate as her grandmother. This has to be the most pathetic sales tactic I can possibly imagine, and the company should be ashamed they are using such unethical tactics to get people to buy or keep their product.
I insisted on still canceling the service and the customer service representative stated I just need to ship back the equipment when I received it which my mother did within two days of getting it. A tracking number indicated Alert1 received the device a few days later and I contacted Alert1 to see about the status of my refund. I was told that since I did not open the box and test the equipment, I was not eligible for any refund. I spoke to a supervisor named Jamie and told her what I had been instructed to do by their own employee. Jamie said she would check into it and submit a request for a refund for a possible approval.
I contacted Jamie a week later and she said my refund was denied due to my failure to test the equipment as per their policy. Jamie acknowledged that I had called to cancel the service on a day after I ordered it, but said she could not verify what instructions I received.
Also, on the Alert1 webpage they advertise to have an A+ rating with the BBB, and according to the BBB, they only have a B rating.
What a horrible company, I would not recommend to anybody!!
Sounds like a terrible experience Derrick. Thanks for sharing with our community. – A
Hi Derrick. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
My father-in-law, Ed, was recently in the hospital and subsequently enter a rehabilitation center to regain his physical strength. When it was time to be released, he was informed by the woman he had been in a relationship and lived with that he could not come home. He left to his daughter’s home with only two pairs of sweats and two shirts. (Name redacted), the woman, would not let him get his things. In a relationship and acquiring possessions and now he was basically homeless. From his clothes to a class ring from school, he was denied. Now living with his daughter we finally obtained the Alert 1 unit. Service automatically renewed on September 18th and we called to cancel on September 24th. Tough luck! We’re still charged for the month. No compassion; no understanding; no empathy from a company that is built upon the same. Alert 1 does the job unless you as a family have a crisis. Then it’s “not their problem. “They’re running a business.”
I had a very similar experience with Alert 1 after getting it for my Dad. The difference was that we had ordered the ‘Fall Protection’ device because my Dad has Parkinson’s. After falling twice with the device on and no alert going off, I took the 8 hours trip to see what the problem was. We tried a number of ways, including dropping it on the floor, wearing it and actually falling on the floor our selves and nothing set it off. Realizing we probably had a faulty unit, we requested a new one. They sent it and charged us $5.95 for shipping it!! Are you kidding?? Two weeks later he was taken by ambulance to the E.R. for another fall that resulted in a 7 week stay and of course, the fall detector never went off. When we tried to cancel the service or at least put it on hold, we were told, ‘sorry, no refunds and no pause in the service.
Turns out he was falling because his ‘long time live-in girlfriend was overmedicating him! Now we have to continue to pay for the ‘service’ until we can get the equipment back from her!! My Dad is now safely living with my sister and doing much better, just out an additional $35 a month! Thanks for keeping him safe Alert 1…
Hi Lisa. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
Hi Ed. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
Alert 1 is not customer friendly. They monitored my deceased mother for a year then hit us hit our credit card with another charge for 2015. When the service was cancelled, there was no correspondence with me until my credit card was charged for another year.
These folks are unethical and I wouldn’t recommend them or the service. By the way be prepared to be on hold infinitely when you have a questions about an invalid charge.
Hi Mark. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
Buyer Beware:
Our mother was suffering from a terminal illness and had recently fallen twice while alone at home. After searching the internet for a Medical Alert service with fall protection we found a highly recommended company, Alert – 1. AARP and several other organizations gave high ratings for the Alert -1 fall protection service. One of the selling points on their website and voiced by their salesperson was that if you cancel and return the equipment within the first 30 days you are entitled to a full refund. They also stated that you can cancel the service at any time. Knowing mom was in the final stages of life, this was important in the making the decision to purchase this service. Our assumption was that a partial refund would be made if the service was no longer needed. Don’t assume anything!
Following mom’s death I promptly returned the equipment and requested a partial refund for the unused portion of the 1 year service. I was told that Alert – 1 was under no obligation to make a refund since we utilized the service for more than 30 days. Mom passed away 50 days after purchasing the service. I tried to plead my case but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. They said I should have elected the quarterly or semi-annual payment options instead of the annual plan but because I elected the annual plan they would not refund any money. I thought that was an odd statement since the quarterly or semi-annual payment options were never offered at the time I purchased the service. Do not elect the annual plan and expect a refund should your loved one pass on before the year is up.
Because of Alert -1’s poor customer service policies regarding refunds, I would not recommend them, especially to families of the terminally ill.
So sorry to hear about your mother Steve. Thank you for sharing your feedback with other families who may be looking at this (and similar) devices for their loved ones.
Hi Steve. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
Alert1 is sorry that my service was not stellar! What a joke! Their horrible customer service was not even up to being just bad.
Hi Steve. It definitely seems you’ve had some troubles. We would appreciate if you would send your contact information to reviews@alert1.com so we may speak with you. Thank you!
Alert 1 service is prepaid, so if your parent no longer needs the service for any reason it is not pro rated, no refund! Just a word of warning – must be in the fine print.
Thank you for the warning Luke and for sharing your feedback with us and other families who are considering a medical alert system for a loved one.
Hi Luke. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
My grandpa used to rely on grandma for his daily medications and scheduled check-ups, unfortunately she kept forgetting, too. With these new alert systems and security devices, they’ll fare way better.
Hi Casey! Thanks so much for your review. We are certainly glad that your grandpa and grandma have these daily reminders. thanks for choosing Alert1!