If you’ve been wearing a hearing aid for any length of time, you know it’s worth the price. It helps you communicate better with those around you, hear more clearly even in noisy environments, and enjoy your favorite activities.

If you take good care of your hearing aid, it will last for many years, but it’s normal to need a few repairs along the way. How much will these cost? The answer depends on who will be paying for the repair and the type of repair the hearing aid needs.

Paying for hearing aid repairs

Hearing aids come with a standard one to two-year manufacturer warranty for broken or missing pieces and one complete replacement. During this warranty period, you’ll only be responsible for deductibles. Be sure to read your warranty carefully so you understand its exact terms.

If your warranty is due to expire and your hearing aid is going strong, you may want to pay for an additional (extended) warranty. These last for another one to two years and operate much the same as a regular warranty.

After the warranty period, you’ll be responsible for paying for hearing aid repairs out-of-pocket. Since the usual lifespan of a hearing aid ranges from five to seven years (during which your hearing aid needs may change), you’ll probably be replacing it before too many out-of-pocket repairs.

It’s always wise to weigh all your options – is it smarter insure your current hearing aid or pay for a new one that will include a fresh warranty? If you have a high-end hearing aid with specialized features and expect to be using it long-term, you may want to add it to a homeowner’s insurance policy or renter’s insurance. There are also an increasing number of hearing aid insurance options to consider. Otherwise, here’s a look at the typical price of out-of-pocket repairs.

Types of hearing aid repairs

If your hearing aid only needs replacement tubing, deep cleaning or an adjustment, it won’t cost much (if anything). Defects that require your hearing health care professional to send the hearing aid out for repair range from cosmetic issues (cracked or broken pieces) to sound component failure. Surprisingly, the most expensive repairs are not electronic, but cosmetic – a complete re-casing can cost between $500-600. Standard electronic pieces usually run from $300-400 to replace.

Hearing aid repairs can be costly, but your hearing is worth every penny of it. Take good care of your hearing aid, utilize warranties and any insurance policies that make sense for you, and be sure have your hearing re-examined by your hearing healthcare professional on a regular basis.