Unlike the older formal Stair lifts that require the standard Lead Acid Batteries modern Stairlifts carry a power pack battery specifically designed for that Chairlift and can only be purchased from the Stair lift supplier manufacturer

Replacing the power pack batteries on modern Curved Chairlifts such as the Bison / Acorn 80 Stairlift will not remedy the fault condition. The Bison / Acorn 80 curved stairlift will require reprogramming by a qualified trained engineer after the battery replacement procedure

We highly advocate modern straight and curved Stairlifts are insured as the costs of battery renewal can run into hundreds of pounds £150-199 is a good ballpark figure to keep in heed

Stairlift manufactures are now making it harder for DIY repair or small companies who are not trade partners with the associated manufactures to obtain replacement spare parts such as batteries etc.

The only choice for the proprietor is to pay the sizeable price tag for what appear like a simple job of renewing a Stairlift battery

Insurance cover may help in regaining the costs of the battery replacement but does not help in finding a local company who is an authorised agent for the Stairlift manufacturer. Hence one would be wise to take out the extended warranty offered by the supplier manufacturer

If you own a standard straight or curved Stair lift produced before 2009 then good chance your Chairlift incorporates the original lead acid batteries that can be bought from local electrical supplier retail store or companies who stock and sell car batteries

For the normal individual who has some type of technology background the undertaking of replacing the Stairlift batteries will be straight forward and undertaking out DIY initiation of the battery’s will reduce the price dramatically

Free information on Stair lifts and Stairlift Battery
replacement please visit our website or Stairlift Blog

For items like Stairlifts and power wheelchairs insurance cover would typically be for breakdown repairs of items such as drive motors gearbox’s main printed circuit boards etc. Fix bills can be exceedingly pricey for such items and getting hit with a sizeable mend bill can be cripple your annual living budget

Insurance for driving powered scooters wheelchairs on the primary roads or public footpaths is not a legal duty presently in time in Great Britain. If the Scooter is a Class 3 model you are required to register it with the DVLA

It might be smart to take out an insurance policy to protect your mobility scooter/wheelchair against accidental damage, burglary and third party liability, in case of damage or injury to some other person or their property

Being left stuck away from home If you’re unfortunate to have your mobility scooter break down when out on a daily shopping trip is a common thing. Many owners never consider breakdown cover till it is too late and they finish up and their scooter wheelchair marooned at the local shops or bank etc

Like most customers we all think of insurance as jus t another profit generating scheme where the insurance companies can nail your hat on and never have to pay out on claims due to implementing high excess clauses etc.

With that acknowledged could you afford to replace a pricey mobility item like a powered scooter or wheelchair if it went missingor got stolen? Extraordinarily improbable so take heed and guarantee your mobility products are covered for all emergencies that could arisae leaving you marooned and broke

Stairlifts should be insured againts breakdowns! Emergency breakdown call-out charges can be particularly dear and most corporations charge per hour as well as the standard call out charge.

For more information on Stairlifts and Stairlift Insurance please visit our Stairlift Blog

Should you take out any cover at all? Well some people seem to stroll along through life with no complications and never seem to have any bad luck with items they purchase. Unlike myself! No matter what I buy even if it’s the dearest item in the shop sure as day follows night I guarantee it will break. (Normally just out of the guarantee period) So if you are one of them people like me. I highly recommend some type of insurance policy be taken out.

Stair lift breakdowns can be costly as well as inconvenient: Most stair lift companies will offer you an annual stairlift maintenance contract once your warranty has elapsed. The initial train of thought on discovering the price of these annual service contracts is to wave them goodbye.

Lets have a quick look at the Pro’s & Con’s: The most simple solution would be to have a stairlift maintenance contract with the company you purchased the stairlift from. The plus side! Local Engineer on call, Van stocked with spare parts, In-house trained on the products they install service and repair. One simple phone call should have you back on track in no time.

Downside: Tied into a twelve month contract, Very expensive 300-500 per year (none refundable) Depending on the maintenance contract you take out parts might not be covered or limited (Always read the small print)

Home Policy Insurance: It’s Your job to locate a company that will be willing to attend. If it’s late at night or weekend not much chance of that happening unless you are on their books so to speak. You will still be required to find the cash to pay for the call-out charge and then claim this back through your insurance company (This could take Months)

Lets face it when you need a stairlift you need it NOW. The last thing you want to be doing is looking through the telephone book. Phoning company after company who all seem to use a telephone answering machine. Ever made an appointment with a company that never turned up! I have many times, back to square one best get the phone book out again.

In a nutshell any type of cover is better than no cover. If you want hassle free service and don’t mind the hefty price tag your option is simple. If you are on a limited budget then home insurance would be better than no cover. Insurance companies that insure mobility products should have a private contractor or stairlift company who attends emergency call-outs on their behalf etc.

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Replacing broken or worn parts on your stairlift can often exceed the cost of a Service Maintenance Contract and no guarantee a company will offer to send a call-out engineer to someone who is not on their books so to speak.

Annual stairlift maintenance contracts start at around (250-500) The lower price packages will only give you basic cover and chances are you will need to pay for the engineers call-out, parts and labour costs.

You really need to read this bit! Some companies charge you for traveling time. If you do not have a contract with the company you engage the services of. Make sure you ask if they charge for the engineers traveling time.

There is a good reason to try and find a local company! If they are not local and the engineer spends two hours travelling time to reach your destination then that’s going to be a hefty bill! Average call-out price 80 per hour x 2 =160 and he hasn’t even done anything yet. Trick number 2 you will get stung for the two hour return trip the engineer has to make back to his depot 80 x 4 =320 big smackers

Stairlift companies offer a range of maintenance service contracts rated by stars or colours. Obviously the more stars or metallic of colour the higher the price but more benefits and cover you receive. All contracts should include an annual service of your stair lift.

I personally would recommend that you take some type of protection cover out on your stairlift unless you have very deep pockets. In fact it would be wise to use the company you originally purchased the product from. Other companies might not have the service parts required to complete the service or repair.

In my next article I will explain what you actually get for your money when an engineer arrives to carry out an annual service of your stairlift. Keep your eyes peeled out for that one some good info to be had.

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