Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The type of system that you use will depend on your telephone service. If you have a telephone landline, you can use our At-Home Landline service. Our cellular systems, including those with GPS, work with AT&T’s and Verizon's cellular network using LifeFone’s cell service, not yours. To check cellular coverage on AT&T visit https://www.att.com/maps/wireless-coverage.html. To check cellular coverage in your area on Verizon, visit https://www.verizon.com/coverage-map/ .  

No. LifeFone’s At-Home Cellular System works with LifeFone’s cell phone service, not yours. It works using AT&T's cellular network. To learn more about AT&T coverage in your area, use the AT&T Coverage Viewer. You can also call us at 1-800-882-2280.

Automatic fall detection is an optional feature available with all of our systems. When fall detection is added to any system, battery life may be reduced.

Our At-Home Landline system is compatible with most, but not all telephone landline services. We ask you for the name of your landline service provider to ensure that it is compatible. If your landline phone service provider is not compatible, then we will suggest our At-Home Cellular system to you, which works using LifeFone’s cellular service, not yours.

LifeFone’s cellular systems use AT&T Or Verizon's cellular network (using LifeFone’s cellular service, not yours). We ask for your zip code to determine the coverage strength in your area.

LifeFone offers our customers four (4) key advantages:

1. We put your safety first, starting with the equipment we provide to you. Many systems we see advertised today don’t pass LifeFone’s internal quality reviews. We offer you the same level of safety and equipment coverage that we would want for our own loved ones.
2. Customer friendly policies. LifeFone’s policies are designed to give you financial peace of mind.
   • No Activation Fees
   • No Equipment Fees
   • 30-day Money Back Guarantee
   • Lifetime Customer Price Guarantee
   • Spouses Protected For Free With Basic Service on At-Home Systems only. Just $5-10 More Per Month To Add Automatic Fall Detection.
   • Cancel At Any Time & Pay Only For The Time You’ve Used
3. Caring customer service. Our customers describe us as the company that cares, and we do! LifeFone is a family-owned business, so for us, service is personal. We don’t have to answer to shareholders; we answer to you. To learn more about LifeFone customer reviews, including those reported by independent, third-party websites, visit our reviews recognition page.
4. Reputation. LifeFone has been in business since 1976 and has earned an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. We’ve also been recognized by: the National Stroke Association, Harvard Health Publications, Web MD, A Place for Mom, and more. To learn more, visit our reviews recognition page.

LifeFone’s US-based monitoring centers are open 24/7, 365 days/year. Customer service and Sales support is available from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, seven days/week, including holidays.

Our main call center is in our own building in White Plains, New York. We have back-up call centers in Ogden, UT and Union, NJ.

LifeFone provides customer service and owns our own call center in White Plains, NY. We also have back-up facilities located in Syracuse, NY, Ogden, UT, and Union NJ. We do not own the back-up facilities; we work very closely with them to ensure that they adhere to all of LifeFone’s policies and service levels to ensure that they are always ready to provide service in the event of an emergency.

Our direct calls to you will come from one of these possible area codes: 315 (Syracuse, NY), 801 (Ogden, UT), 908 (Union, NJ), 914 (White Plains, NY), or from 800-940-0262, 877-206-9141 or 877-330-3665. If you have caller ID, you will see the words “Response Center”.

LifeFone has been in business since 1976, and is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau.

You may cancel your service by speaking to one of LifeFone’s Customer Care Agents at 1-800-940-0262. Returning the equipment is at your expense. Service will be cancelled effective the day the system is received at our location. You may receive a prorated refund, based on the non-discounted monthly rate, after we receive your complete system.  Only full months of prepaid service will be refunded, if applicable. Any purchased accessories are not returnable for refund.

All of our systems come with a 30-day risk-free trial. Return the equipment to us within 30 days at your expense, and we will give you a full refund, less any shipping costs you may have paid when you signed up. After your first 30 days, you can still cancel at any time for any reason and get a refund of any full months of unused, prepaid service once you return the equipment. We do not refund partial months of service. Please note, returning the equipment is at your expense. If your needs should change over time, there is no fee to switch to a new service. Your billing plan will be adjusted to match the rate of the new service you choose.

Your 30-day money-back guarantee starts three business days after your system is shipped.

You make NO time commitment when you subscribe to LifeFone’s personal emergency response service, but we do ask you to sign a service agreement that clearly states the terms of service that we provide to you, and your responsibility to pay for the service you receive, to provide us with your emergency contacts, etc. We ask you to sign that agreement as a responsible business practice.

No. You pay only for your monitoring service. There are no additional fees and no minimum time commitments. And as your needs change over time, there are no switching or restocking fees if you change to a new system or add or subtract a feature such as automatic fall detection. You simply pay the new rate for the service you now have. LifeFone’s uniquely customer friendly policies are an important reason why people choose our services.

You can cancel at any time for any reason. Just notify LifeFone by phone, email, or physical mail that you intend to cancel. LifeFone will stop billing you once we receive the equipment provided to you. ​ We will refund any full months of prepaid service that remain after equipment is received in our warehouse. We do not refund partial months of service.

Yes! For every new customer you refer to us, you will get a free month of service, and so will the person you referred. There is no limit to the number of friends and family – and free months of service – you can receive! Just call us at 1-800-331-9198, and tell us whom else you’d like to refer.

Press your help button and wait for a LifeFone customer care representative to answer and ask you what type of assistance you need.

When you subscribe to LifeFone service, we ask you to complete our Emergency Care Instructions form, which provides us with the names, and phone numbers for your emergency contacts, including any friends or family members, your doctor, neighbors, or the front desk in your building. You can also list any medical conditions, allergies and medications so that we can relay this information to emergency responders. When we receive an alarm signal from you in our monitoring center, our first question to you is whether or not you have a medical emergency. Our second question to you is how you would like us to assist you. Many times, a customer does not need an ambulance. For example, a customer may need a simple lift assist and ask that we call a family member, friend or neighbor to come over and help. We call an ambulance under the following circumstances:

1. If you ask us to call an ambulance.
2. If we can’t make voice contact with you, but we have received a signal from you (or your fall detector) indicating that you need assistance (in an emergency, some people aren’t able to speak), and
3. If our customer care representatives sense that something is wrong even if the caller thinks that she or he is ok. An example of this can be a caller showing signs of a stroke. When in doubt, we will always err on the side of caution, because our mission is to save lives.

LifeFone allows you to customize your Emergency Care Instructions. If you instruct us to contact a caregiver before dispatching EMS, we will do so. It’s a useful approach if a caregiver is close enough to arrive before emergency responders and the customer has a history of false alarms. If we can’t reach your emergency contact(s) and either we can’t communicate with you or we have reason to believe that you need urgent medical attention, we will always err on the side of saving your life. In such a case, we will dispatch EMS services to your location.

Yes. Text or email alerts are available with all of LifeFone’s systems.

If we can’t hear you, we will first try to call your home or cellular number.  If we are unable to reach you, we will follow your Emergency Care Instructions, assuming that you are having an emergency and dispatch the assistance you need. We normally call emergency medical services and then notify your personal contacts listed in your Emergency Care Instructions according, but we can also call your family/friends depending on the instructions you provide.

Your Emergency Care Instructions form comes with your system. You can either mail or fax your emergency care instructions to us or provide them to us securely online on our emergency care instructions page.

You can update your emergency care instructions as often as needed, and we encourage you to keep your instructions up to-date in one of the following ways:

• Online using our secure website portal
• By phone: 1-877-330-3658
• By email: profileupdates@lifefone.com
• By mail: Send your updates, along with your name and address, to:LifeFone Profile Updates, 16 Yellowstone Avenue, White Plains, NY 10607-1324

No! LifeFone provides you with 24-hour protection for ANY emergency! At the push of a button, we’re here to contact the help you need whether you have a medical emergency, a fire, or a home intruder. If you need assistance but not medical aid, LifeFone will contact a friend, neighbor or a family member you have designated to help you.

Don’t worry. We ask that you stay on the line, and when the representative comes onto the line, simply tell him or her that you accidentally pressed the button. We’ll consider that accidental alarm to be a test call. Rest assured that LifeFone does not charge for false alarms.

No. LifeFone does not charge a fee based on the number of times you press the button.  This is included as part of your monthly fee.  Some municipalities may charge for their service. We recommend you check with your local ambulance provider to determine any possible charges for their service.

When you subscribe to LifeFone’s personal emergency response service, we ask for instructions on how emergency responders can enter your home as part of your Emergency Care Instructions. Let us know if you have a hidden key, or if there is a code, a building manager or a doorman to enable emergency responders to enter your building. To avoid having emergency responders break down your door, you can purchase a lock box and provide the four-digit code to us. We will pass the code to the emergency responders for quick access to your home. For more information about lock boxes available from LifeFone, including pricing, visit our accessories page.

Yes. LifeFone's At-Home & On-The-Go systems work anywhere provided there is adequate cellular service. LifeFone's At-Home Landline & At-Home Cellular systems, can easily move from one location to another, whether you relocate for a week or a season. Simply give us 24-48 hours advance notice prior to relocating your device to reactivate the system in your new location. Keep in mind that if you have at-home landline service, your vacation destination will need a telephone landline to connect the system. Call us at 1-877-330-3658 if you have any questions.

No. All LifeFone’s systems and services come with a lifetime price guarantee. Once you subscribe, your price will never increase for the service you have. Only if you change your service will the price change, but its price, too, will be guaranteed once you subscribe to it.

​Yes. All of LifeFone's systems come with a lifetime warranty for manufacturer defects. For additional peace of mind, LifeFone offers a Protection Plan for an additional $5/month that provides you with equipment replacement for a deductible due to loss, theft, or damage beyond manufacturer defects, such as drops or accidents. For information about this plan, call us at 1-800-940-0262.

Replacing a lost, stolen or damaged medical alert system can cost you up to $295.00. LifeFone’s Protection Plan covers you for the replacement of 1 base unit or voice in pendant for a $29 deductible and up to two (2) help buttons for a $6 deductible, in a 12-month period. This protection plan enhances LifeFone’s lifetime equipment guarantee safeguarding you against normal wear and tear, as well as incidents such as:

• Loss of theft of your equipment
• Accidental drops, spills, or mishaps
• Damage caused by heat and humidity
• Damage from overcharging the battery on mobile devices

LifeFone will send you replacement equipment at no cost to you. LifeFone will ask you to return any damaged equipment within ten (10) days of receipt of the replacement equipment, also at no cost to you. *LifeFone's Protection Plan is intended for use by current and remaining customers who are not in the process of cancelling.

LifeFone offers a caregiver app with the VIPx system only. With this app, caregivers can view their loved one’s location, view button press history, check first motion of the day, and monitor the device’s battery level. The app also tracks daily and  steps and, should the device be lost or misplaced, the app can manually ring the device. Playing an audible tone making the device easy to find.   For other devices, LifeFone offers other caregiver tools such as Activity Assurance, Daily Check-In Calls, Medication Reminders and Location Services. More information can be found here:  https://www.lifefone.com/caregiver-tools

The VIP Flex® is our smallest, lightest, most versatile mobile medical alert device. The device is configured as a wristlet, necklace or belt clip. These accessories are optional and available upon request at no cost to you.

The lock box enables emergency responders to enter your home without breaking down your door in an emergency. If there is a way for emergency responders to enter your home quickly – such as a hidden key or a 24-hour doorman or a superintendent on the premises who can let responders into your home – then you probably don’t need a lock box. If you feel that you would benefit from a lock box, LifeFone offers a choice of styles that include wall mounting or placement around your doorknob. You create a four-digit code that we pre-program before we send it to you. We keep that code on file and disclose it to emergency responders only in an emergency. To see LifeFone’s lock boxes and pricing, visit our accessories page.

Yes, the wristband or pendant is water resistant, and is designed to be worn in the bath or shower. The Voice-in-Pendant with it’s two-way speaker is water resistant. It can also be worn in the bath or shower, but should not be submerged.

Our wristbands are made of silicone and the neck cord for the pendant is made of nylon. The help buttons are made of PolyCarbonate (PC) plastic.

Yes, you should wear your wristband or pendant at all times so that you can get help in case of an emergency - it’s not uncommon for someone to experience an emergency after getting out of bed in the middle of the night.

We don’t recommend it. Your pendant should be accessible to you at all times. Wearing the pendant under a shirt or blouse makes it harder to access it when you need help, particularly in the event of a fall forward.

Use warm water, dish detergent with either a soft bristled brush or wash cloth can be used to clean your wristband/pendant. Gently scrub until clean.

Help button batteries typically last from 1-5 years. When optional fall detection is added to our at-home or at-home and on-the-go devices, the battery life of the help button (which is only available as a necklace pendant) may be reduced to approximately 1 year. LifeFone silently supervises these batteries and will notify you and replace the battery when its charge goes below a 20% at no cost to you. Battery life on LifeFone's On-The-Go systems typically vary from 24 hours to 10 days depending on the system. These systems are recharged at home by placing the device in the charging cradle.  When fall detection is added the On-The-Go Systems, battery life may be reduced.

When fall detection is added to any of LifeFone's systems the battery life may be reduced. When optional fall detection is added to our at-home or at-home and on-the-go devices, the battery life of the help button (which is only available as a necklace pendant) may be reduced to approximately 1 year. LifeFone silently supervises these batteries and will notify you and replace the battery when its charge goes below a 20% at no cost to you. Battery life on LifeFone's On-The-Go systems typically vary from 24 hours to 10 days depending on the system. These systems are recharged at home by placing the device in the charging cradle.

LifeFone remotely monitors the batteries of both your base station and help button (pendant or wristband) to ensure sufficient power. We proactively replace your help button when the battery goes below 20% at no cost to you on the At-Home Landline & At-Home Cellular systems. For LifeFone's At-Home & On-The-Go systems, simply place the device on the charging cradle.

In case of a power failure, each LifeFone system’s base unit has a built-in back-up battery that will protect you for up to 32 hours. The LifeFone Response Center is automatically notified of the power failure, and will take action according to your Emergency Care Instructions.

The battery life of LifeFone's At-Home & On-The Go systems vary depending on the device you choose.  To recharge, the device should be placed in the charging cradle.  More detail, including battery life, can be found on each individual product page.

To test your system, simply press your help button and stay on the line until a customer care representative speaks to you. Explain to the representative that you are testing your system. We ask that you test your system at least once a month.

LifeFone gives you a lifetime guarantee against manufacturer defects for all of our equipment. This guarantee includes no-cost replacement of any defective equipment. Call us at 1-800-940-0262 to request a replacement. LifeFone also offers a Protection Plan that provides you with equipment replacement for loss or damage beyond manufacturer defects, such as drops or accidents. For information about this plan, call us at 1-800-940-0262

Yes. Additional pendants or wristbands are available for $39.95 each, plus applicable shipping costs. NOTE that LifeFone offers free spousal monitoring on the At-Home Landline & At-Home Cellular service, which includes a second help button (wristband or pendant).

LifeFone’s Fall Detection Pendant automatically sends an alarm to our Emergency Response Center if you fall. Since no fall detection system detects 100% of falls, this pendant is also equipped with a standard help button for added security. If able, users should press their help button in any type of emergency.

LifeFone’s fall detection pendants have been tested against every known solution in the marketplace and perform top in class. Approximately 95% of falls will be detected. More subtle falls may be difficult to detect. The pendant is also equipped with a standard help button for added security. However, since no fall detection system detects 100% of falls, this pendant is also equipped with a standard help button for added security. If able, users should press their help button in any type of emergency.

The false alarm rate is relatively low. 95% of users will experience four (4) or fewer false alarms in a given month (~70% will experience zero false alarms). Keep in mind that the more active a person is, the more likely s/he is to have a false alarm.

In general, fall detection is most helpful to people who have frequent falls, have the potential to fall, and have chronic medical conditions and mobility issues. People who are highly active are more likely to experience false alarms, so they may find it less helpful. Each situation and person is different. If you’d like to discuss your situation with a LifeFone sales representative, we’re here to advise you. Please give us a call at 1-800-882-2280.

LifeFone is covered in many states by Medicaid and under certain Medicare advantage programs, Part C. Private plans may also provide coverage, but the decision will depend on your policy and your medical needs. We encourage you to check with your provider to determine if you are eligible for this service coverage.

If you live in the Continental United States (48 states or District of Columbia), you will receive the unit within 3-5 business days of purchasing if you order before 2 pm EST. If you order after 2 pm, please allow for one extra business day. If you live in Alaska and Hawaii, please allow up to 7-10 business days for UPS or USPS ground shipping. If you need the device sooner than that, you can pay for expedited shipping. To learn more about LifeFone’s shipping policies, visit our shipping returns page.

LifeFone ships anywhere in the U.S. We offer several shipping options and can ship your system to you as quickly as overnight if you need it. Standard shipping is 3-7 business days using UPS or USPS. Overnight, second-day and three-day shipping are also available for an additional cost. Due to the value of the equipment we provide to you, we send it signature required. You can waive the signature requirement; just keep in mind that if you do so, you will be responsible for the equipment if it is lost or stolen. Shipping is free with all systems when you choose an annual billing plan. We can ship to a caregiver or directly to the user. If you have any additional questions about shipping, please call us at 1-800-882-2280.

Yes. The LifeFone medical alert systems are very easy to install. Our customers are typically able to install their system and test it with us in about ten (10) minutes or less. We provide you with simple instructions. If you have any questions, you can call our customer service center 24/7 and we will walk you through the process. Once the console and/or mobile units is/are plugged in, please press the emergency button on your system(s) to reach our call center to complete your set-up. We will ask you to test the system from every room in your home where you spend time as well as your yard to make sure that we can hear you and get a signal.  Set up instructions are available in the system user guides found on our customer care page.

Yes. If you order by phone, the sales representative will ask for your email address to send you tracking information. If you order online on our website, you will also receive tracking information if you provide us with your email address.