As someone who’s worked with seniors as a social worker for over 20 years, I know how important life-saving medical alert systems can be. Sadly, many older adults that live alone actually spend less time with friends and family as they age, making medical alert systems like Alert1 more essential than ever. Alert1 has been in business since 1988, with nationwide service and support for up to 190 different languages. In this review, I’m testing out their On-The-Go Fall Detection system, but I’ll also discuss their other packages, monthly costs, and my experience from ordering to testing the system out. I have a ton to share with you, so let’s dive in.
Alert1 Logo
Pros and Cons
After researching and testing Alert1 vigorously, here are some key takeaways that I found:
What I Liked
Optional fall detection: Packages with fall detection only cost about $10 more a month than those without, a reasonable price for added protection.
Wide monthly price range: With so many contract length options, you can pay anywhere from $16.95 to $61.95 for your system’s monthly monitoring costs, a wide range that will suit many customers with different needs.
Cellular or landline systems: You don’t need a landline to use Alert1’s systems, and if you opt for cellular, they even let you choose between AT&T and Verizon.
What I Didn’t Like
No app: Alert1 doesn’t have mobile applications for iOS and Android, so there’s no way to digitally keep track of the user or their activity.
Add-ons could add up: Although the accessories are optional, with so many choices, it’s easy to get carried away.
On Alert1’s website, I saw that there were five packages to choose from: options for home use, on-the-go use, or both, with or without fall detection. The packages are straightforward, making it easy to pick one out that’s right for your needs. But first, let’s talk dollars and cents.
Monthly Monitoring Prices
Home
Fall Detection
On-the-Go
On-the-Go Fall Detection
On-the-Go and Home Fall Detection
Landline Required
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Works on-the-go
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Fall detection
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Speaker in the button
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Monthly Rate with 30 Month Plan
$16.95
$27.95
$33.95
$43.95
$49.95
Monthly Rate with Annual Plan
$19.95
$30.95
$36.95
$46.95
$52.95
Monthly Rate with Quarterly Plan
$25.95
$36.95
$42.95
$52.95
$58.95
Monthly Rate with Monthly Plan
$28.95
$39.95
$45.95
$55.95
$61.95
Note that the prices of a medical alert system from Alert1 doesn’t include any upfront costs. Rather, the equipment rental costs are built into the monitoring fees, and the contract lengths are pretty flexible. While I signed up for a month, the monthly rates lower as the contract length increases, with options to sign up for 30 months, a year, three months, or monthly. For more information on how much you’ll pay for Alert1, check out my pricing overview page on Alert1.
Tip: For the lowest monthly rates, sign up for the 30-month contract.
While the longer contracts have really reasonable monthly payments, ranging from $16.95 to $49.95, if you sign up for a month-to-month plan, the costs become less affordable, starting at $28.95 and going all the way up to $61.95. Still, this is certainly less than Life Alert, which has minimum monthly payments ranging from $49.95 to $89.95 a month. Plus, Life Alert charges activation fees, while Alert1 does not.
If you’re on the clumsier side like me, you can pay either monthly, semi-annually or annually for the Advantage Plan, which completely covers repairs and replacements of all medical alert systems. It even covers shipping!
Optional Smoke Detector Monitoring Prices
Finally, Alert1 throws in some environmental monitoring with a smoke detector that costs $10 a month. Even if you don’t alert them yourself, if the smoke detector goes off, the monitoring team will be notified and can call the fire department if needed.
More Information on the Alert1 Systems
Alert1 Home
Now you know everything there is to know about how much Alert1’s systems cost, but here’s what they can do:
Home: For a senior that spends most of their time at home, this package is the best option. However, it lacks fall detection, so the user will have to actually push the button to connect to help. Another disadvantage is that the button itself doesn’t have a speaker, so they’ll need to be near the base station in order to have a back-and-forth conversation with the emergency personnel. Also note that to use this system in the first place, you’ll need a landline.
Fall detection: Adding fall detection onto the home system means that you don’t need a landline, opening up the system to many more users. With a base station and an on-the-go pendant, which can be worn as a necklace or bracelet, which has the two-way audio that the regular home device lacks. Given that falls are the most common cause of injuries that lead to being admitted to hospitals for people 65 and up, I definitely recommend shelling out the extra money for fall detection. Like I said, since the device itself can detect when a fall has occurred, the user can reach the monitoring center even if they can’t physically press the button.
On-The-Go: For more active seniors, Alert1 offers systems that can be used anywhere in the world, with GPS built-in in case the senior gets lost, useful particularly for Alzheimer’s patients, 60% of which tend to wander. Instead of hooking it up to your landline, the On-The-Go system connects to cellular networks, and I was able to choose between AT&T and Verizon based on the best cellular coverage in my area in the Pacific Northwest. Most medical alert companies offer only one cellular network or the other, so the fact that I got to choose was just another feather in Alert1’s cap. Of course, this system lacks fall detection, which is why it’s the least expensive on-the-go option.
Alert1 On the Go Cellular
On-The-Go Fall Detection: This might seem pretty self-explanatory, but this system is basically the aforementioned on-the-go system except with fall detection built-in. It doesn’t require a landline or a phone, as users will be able to speak to the monitoring center through the two-way speaker.
On-The-Go and Home Fall Detection: Finally, for the most protection in and out of the house, get the top-tier On-The-Go and Home Fall Detection package, which doesn’t require a landline, works everywhere, and has fall detection along with a two-way speaker.
I opted to get the On-The-Go with Fall Detection, and I’ll explain my experience testing it out in a bit, but first, let’s check out what other products Alert1 has to offer.
Add-On Equipment
Aside from their systems, Alert1 offers a wide range of accessories that you can add-on, none of which will add to your monthly cost save for the smoke detector that I described above.
Accessory Pricing
Product
Price
Fall protection package
$200
Medication reminder and organizer
$149.95
Voice extender
$99
Mobile fall detection pendant
$46.95
Emergency lock box
$39.95
Wall-mounted emergency button
$39.95
Medical ID bracelet
$34.95
Fall detection pendant
$30.95
PAX plus classic wristband
$29.95
Alarm bracelet
$19.95
Alert pendant
$19.95
Surge guard
$19.95
Beaded necklace
$19.95
Kelsi protective case and belt adapter
$9.95
Silicone wristband
$9.95
As you can see, the add-ons are at a very large price range, costing only $9.95 all the way up to $200. While none of these are essential, you may want to increase your peace of mind by throwing a few in with your medical alert system.
What Does Each Accessory Do?
From reminding you to take your medication to letting emergency medical technicians into your home in the event of an emergency, Alert1 has all the add-ons I’d expect for a medical alert company, including:
Medication reminder and organizer: With a large LED display, this device is perfect for a senior that may forget to take their medications throughout the day. You can program it to remind them to take their meds up to four times per day via an 85-decibel alarm, about as loud as a snowblower. Plus, the device is tamper-proof, so the user can only take their medications at the appropriate times and can’t go back if they miss a dose. This is a device I haven’t seen from any other medical alert system so far, and it seems really useful, especially considering that the average elderly patient in the United States takes more than five pills a day.
FYI: If the senior in your life has trouble remembering to take medications, the medication reminder and organizer is a fantastic option, as it’ll alert them at the exact times they need to take their meds.
Voice extender: If you have a large house and can’t speak to the base station from every room, I recommend buying a voice extender, which requires a landline.
Fall protection package: More of a bundle than a single accessory, this package includes two wall-mount buttons, two motion-sensing night lights, 18 adhesive strips for the bathtub, and 12 corner guards.
Mobile fall detection pendant: If you already have the fall detection feature, you can add on another pendant to your system to call for help; this one has a speaker and doesn’t require a landline. Plus, it’s showerproof!
Emergency lockbox: One issue that you may have not considered is how the EMTs, police officers, or firefighters are going to get into your house if you have an emergency, but don’t worry, Alert1 has got you covered. Simply place their lockbox on your front doorknob and they’ll be able to get inside via code, with up to five keys stored in the lockbox itself.
Wall-mounted emergency button: Some people may not want to wear their pendant around their home, which is why it’s important to put wall-mounted emergency buttons in high-risk areas like the stairs or bathrooms from up to 600 feet away from the base unit. Make sure the buttons are placed low to the ground so you can reach them in the event of a fall; with two-year battery lives and two-way speakers, you’ll be able to speak directly to the monitoring center through the buttons themselves. Plus, as the buttons are waterproof, you can even place one inside the shower!
Fall detection pendant: Anyone with a system that includes fall detection can add on another medical alert pendant necklace, which has a 400-foot range from the base unit, two-way voice plus a two-year battery life. It’s showerproof, like all of Alert1’s devices, and requires a landline to use.
PAX plus classic wristband: For someone that prefers wearing a bracelet to a necklace, this silicone, waterproof option includes a medical alert button. It works for up to 300 feet from the base unit, but there’s no fall detection or two-way voice; that remains in the base unit.
Alarm bracelet: Another waterproof medical alert wristband, this device also doesn’t have fall detection, but it’s range is twice of the PAX Plus at 600 feet from the base unit. Note that only users with landlines can use the alarm bracelet to get connected with the Command Center.
Alert pendant: A medical alert button in the form of a necklace, the alert pendant is waterproof with a range from the base unit of 600 feet. It requires a landline and doesn’t include fall detection.
Surge guard: On a slightly different note, Alert1 also offers surge guards to make sure that your phone line isn’t affected by a power surge , which would cut off your connection to the monitoring center if it’s connected through your landline.
Monitored smoke detector: If you don’t already have a smoke detector in your home, Alert1 offers one for $10 a month that’ll be connected to the monitoring center. Even if you aren’t home, if your smoke detector goes off, Alert1’s emergency personnel can send for help. Plus, the device has a three-year battery life and a 95-decibel siren, about as loud as a food processor. For someone hard of hearing, that may not be loud enough, but that’s where the monitoring center kicks in.
Kelsi protective case and belt adapter: This case protects the Kelsi and Kelsi Pro On-The-Go systems and even has a Velcro attachment so you could clip it onto your belt.
Silicone Wristbands: Available in gray, blue, or purple, these waterproof silicone wristbands worked with all of Alert1’s emergency buttons for the home without fall detection.
Medical ID bracelets: Sold in sizes small and large, the medical ID bracelets contain a panel that has space for the user’s medical information, if they do have a medical emergency. The bracelets also come with wallet cards for more information like their blood type, emergency contact, and more.
Fall alert beaded necklaces: With options in stained glass, elegant onyx, and treasure pearls, you can use these necklaces with any medical alarm pendant necklace to jazz it up. I really appreciated the necklaces’ magnetic clasps, which made putting them on a breeze (although you shouldn’t use them if you have a Pacemaker).
There you have it, all of the products that Alert1 has to offer (which is a lot)!
Using Alert1
On-the-Go + Home Fall Detection
Choosing a system on Alert1’s website was very simple. After picking out my On-The-Go Fall Detection system, I was able to complete the transaction online, meaning I didn’t have to deal with any pushy salespeople. Shipping was free, and I received my box in about three business days. Once I got the package, I tore the box open and found the Kelsi Unit Plus its charger. I plugged the charger in and connected the charging cable and charging port, making its status lights flash red and blue. After the Kelsi charged for a few hours, I noticed that the light switched to blue only, meaning it was fully charged.
Time to test it out! I held down the call button and was immediately connected to the operator, who was ready to help me. However, I explained that this was just a test and got off the line. All in all, the process only took about ten minutes, not counting the three hours the Kelsi took to charge (think of it like bake time if we were making cookies).
Would I Recommend Alert1 Overall?
It should be no surprise that I would definitely recommend Alert1 as your medical alert system. Not only do they have landline and cellular options for in-home and on-the-go use, with optional fall detection, but they also offer many different contract lengths and a plethora of add-on accessories. I’ve tested out a lot of medical alert systems in my day, and I’m hard-pressed to find one that’s more flexible than Alert1. Of course, it’s not ideal for everyone who’s looking, so I would not recommend Alert1 if you want a mobile application or monthly contracting. If you wanted to check in on someone without calling them, I’d check out GreatCall or Bay Alarm Medical, both of which have apps and monthly contracts. If you still have questions about Alert1, check out or FAQ’s section below or contact me and I’ll help you the best that I can.
Alert1 offers a home package, a fall detection package, an on-the-go package, an on-the-go package with fall detection, and a combination home and on-the-go with fall detection package.
Depending on which package and contract length you choose, Alert1 will cost anywhere from $16.95 to $61.95 a month, or more if you add the extended warranty or smoke detector monitoring.
Yes, Alert1’s devices are waterproof with IP ratings of 67, meaning they are completely dust-tight and can be immersed into water up to one meter.
Written By
Amie Clark
Amie has been writing about senior care products and services for the last decade. She is particularly passionate about new technologies that help improve the quality of life for seniors and their families. Seeing her parents and grandparents age made Amie ask herself, “Would this be good enough for my loved ones?” In her spare time, Amie enjoys outdoor adventures and spontaneous road trips. Learn more about Amie here
40 Comments
Be very careful when dealing with this company. The contract terms are very rigid considering that they are dealing with the elderly and are not flexible to any circumstance. Once you are billed there is no way to cancel the program and receive a refund. Their customer care staff while pleasant are held to a script that only supports their revenue and no desire to work with customers and you can not speak with anyone with authority.
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 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.
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!
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!!
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!
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.
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.
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.
Sounds like a terrible experience Derrick. Thanks for sharing with our community. – A
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.
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.