Quick Stats:

Most Important Things To Consider	How Did Life Alert Do?
Pricing	Life Alert Review
Installation/Equipment	$295.00 Installation/Enrollment Fee
Monthly Charges	$49.95/Month
Advance Payment Discounts	No
Monitoring Agreement Term	3 Years, But Cancelable Only if 24 Hour Care is Required
Repairs or Replacement Charges	None, Replacements Shipped
Cancellation Policy & Discounts	Life Alert Review
Cancel at Any Time	No
Senior Discount	No
Other Discounts	No
Equipment	Life Alert Review
Approximate Button Range in Typical Home	150 Feet
Watch/Button Battery Life	4-5 Years. Send Signal When Low
What Happens if I Lose Power	24-48 Hours of Battery Backup
Is the Watch/Button Waterproof	Yes
How Can The Button Be Worn	Pendant or Wrist
UL Certified Equipment	Yes
Does The System Automatically Test Itself To The Monitoring Center	No
24 Hour Technical & Customer Support	No, But Limited After Hour Support is Available Through Operators
Monitoring Station	Life Alert Review
CSAA Five Diamond Certified Monitoring Center	No
Typical Response Time When Button Pressed	30-50 Seconds
Other Options & Information	Life Alert Review
How Fast Does System Ship	One Rep Said it's Shipped 2-Day Air & The Other Said it's Installed By Company
Do You Need Separate Systems For Mom & Dad	No. One Time Charge of $49.00 For an Additional Pendant
Activity Monitoring Available	No

Likes:

Installed By Company - Although these systems are typically very easy to install yourself (see our Basic Installation & Set-Up video) some might find it convenient to have it professionally installed, especially if you live a long distance from your loved one. Please note that one rep said that we could have it installed by Life Alert for an additional $30.00 while another rep stated that installation was included in the enrollment fee, while a manger said we could get a the enrollment fee reduced to approximately $198.00 if we could do the installation ourselves.

Has Different Service Options – Life Alert has different service offerings depending on the customer's age. They also provide solutions for monitoring smoke and carbon monoxide. We also like their 911 only cell phone option. Prices stated here are for the basic equipment and services. These options would be additional.

Dislikes:

High System Costs – We've found Life Alert to have some, if not the, highest costs in the industry. This includes their enrollment and monthly fees. They also do not seem to follow a set pricing strategy when it comes to the installation charges or credit for a self-installation option. They do offer a refund for up to 3 years of your out of pocket costs for the system, if you or your loved one dies in the home, alone. You may be able to do much better with another service provider without sacrificing quality.

Cancel Any Time Policy– If you are not happy with your system or service, you can only cancel if 24 hour care is required for you or your loved one. Remember, you're signing a 3 year contract.

No Automatic System Tests – Most system consoles will automatically test weekly or monthly to the monitoring station, but per the Life Alert sales reps, they offer no automatic testing at all.

No Activity Monitoring – Activity monitoring typically requires the user to check in with the system by pressing a button once every 24 hours. This is very beneficial as it allows you to know that your loved one is active and about each day. This is a common industry option that is not offered by Life Alert.

No Discounts For Advanced Payments – Monthly payments are your only option. The convenience of quarterly or annual payments can be desirable, especially if you can receive a discount.

No Fall Detector Option – Since diabetics can have the tendency to faint, fall detectors can be helpful because the user would be unable to press their medical emergency button.

Bottom Line:

As a leader in the industry, we were not that impressed with Life Alert. Most people that require a medical alert monitoring system typically only require a system that allows a wireless button to press for help, two-way talking communication with the monitoring station, and automatic system testing of the main unit. When you compare Life Alert's cost and features you will find that their base system comes up short on features and high on price.

We had a difficult time getting detailed program information, including basic pricing, without going through their long sales process. This involved waiting for a brochure to be mailed showing the sales department's phone number, before we could be told about their products and pricing. During our multiple calls, we received conflicting information from different sales reps. The company uses a dated sales approach which is not customer friendly.

Remember, if you have a difficult time getting the information you want before you're a customer, imagine what it may be like once you actually are a customer.

Although our experience with this company had these results, your experience may be different. If you're interested in this company's services, contact them to judge for yourself.