By admin 
NORTH PHOENIX, Ariz — A North Phoenix auto shop owner says Wednesday night’s hailstorm left some cars with damage so severe that insurance companies may declare them total losses, and says it’s some of the worst hail damage he’s seen in about 15 years.
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Steve Gaines, owner of GB Service Center, said golf ball-size hail “really beat the cars up” in some areas. He showed ABC15 a 2023 Ford Explorer with a dented hood, doors and trim, a broken tail light and a cracked windshield. Gaines estimated the repairs could cost close to $10,000 and take about two weeks, which could be more than the vehicle is worth.
By mid-morning Wednesday, Gaines said his shop had already received five calls from drivers looking to bring their vehicles in for inspection. He said the shop opens at 8 a.m. and the calls had been coming in since.
“Anytime somebody gets in an accident or has hail damage like this, they need to call their insurance company and let them know immediately,” Gaines said.
He said insurers will likely be flooded with calls, so drivers should file a claim even if they aren’t sure the car will be totaled or don’t plan to repair it. An insurance adjuster will inspect the vehicle and decide whether it should be repaired or declared a total loss.
Gaines said a total loss isn’t necessarily bad news for drivers with full coverage. The insurance company pays the car’s replacement value, and owners can often buy back the salvage vehicle. He gave a hypothetical of a $20,000 payout and a $5,000 buyback, leaving an owner with about $15,000 and a car that still runs. Gaines said drivers with only liability coverage or no insurance may have to repair their cars piece by piece.
Gaines also warned drivers about cracked windshields. A cracked windshield can impair visibility and is a serious safety hazard, he said.
While a windshield replacement takes about an hour, newer vehicles need sensors recalibrated after a replacement, which can push the cost to about $1,500.
Drivers with broken sunroofs or moonroofs should get quick repairs, Gaines said, since more rain is possible and could damage interiors.
Greg Mortenson said he was at T-Mobile when the storm hit and couldn’t do anything to protect his car, which he bought in June. He said he hopes his insurance company totals it because the damage can’t be fully repaired, and the hail damage would have to be disclosed when he sells it, lowering its resale value.
Mortenson spent 34 years in the car business and said he spent much of that time successfully fighting insurance companies on behalf of customers dealing with diminished value claims. He said he’s never had to do it for himself until now.
“You spent $10,000 on this car in paint and repair, and then because you have to disclose that if you’ve got one that’s never been damaged before and I got one that’s had a $10,000 repair, which one are you gonna buy?” Mortenson said.
Despite the frustration, Mortenson said he’s keeping things in perspective.
“It’s just a car,” Mortenson said. “Nobody was hurt, so we just deal with the insurance and work something out and get paid off and go get something else.”
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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