Medical equipment warranties provide peace of mind to healthcare professionals and carers who are using equipment daily in busy hospitals and we offer a simple explainer below as to what they do and don't cover, and how they work.
Warranty cover
Warranties cover faulty workmanship or defective materials within a specified period, some example wording is included here:
What do warranties not cover?
The easiest way to visualise what a warranty doesn't cover is to think about a car:
- Driving a car into a lamp post is not covered by warranty
- Overheating after three years with no oil change is not covered by warranty
In other words, warranties do not cover:
- Accidental or malicious damage
- Failures that are caused by lack of proper maintenance
Warranty cover will also typically exclude:
- Normal wear and tear.
- Damage or failure caused by fitting incorrect parts.
- Using unapproved chemicals / cleaning agents / processes.
- Tampering.
- Improper storage.
Preserving your warranty
There are other considerations too; to preserve the warranty, here is a simple guide:
- Maintain equipment properly in accordance with the manufacturers guidelines and schedule.
- Ensure that suitably trained, qualified and experienced personnel service and repair your equipment.
- Do not attempt to modify equipment without authorisation of the supplier or manufacturer.
- Keep accurate records of all maintenance and repair works
- Store equipment in a safe place, away from extreme heat or cold, and in a weather-proof environment.
- Promptly report any faults, defects or concerns internally (i.e. to your EBME department or technicians) and remove the equipment from service until it is fixed.
- Help the supplier or manufacturer when reporting by providing serial number(s), photos, location etc.
Used Equipment Warranty
Caremed Alrick provides a limited warranty on used equipment (typically ex-demo or ex-rental fleet).
The manufacturers warranty is not usually applicable, but we provide a 6-month warranty which covers basic mechanical functions.
All of the usual terms discussed above apply, so misuse, wear and tear and incorrect usage are not covered. Certain parts such as covers and castor wheels are not covered on used equipment as these are considered major wear items.
It is also essential for ongoing safety and ease of use that a proper service and preventative maintenance scheme is in place, and that daily or weekly checks are carried out (and evidenced) to support any warranty offered.
