Emergency Services
24 Hour Emergency Services
- Protection of property via board up service
- Water removal
- Temporary electric
- Temporary heat
- Demolition of any damaged structure elements
- Removal of any damaged personal property
- Winterization of plumbing to prevent pipes bursting in cold weather conditions
24 Hour Emergency Services by Michaelson & Messinger Insurance Specialists, LLC
The hours after a fire or flood decide how much of the building can be saved and how clean the claim will be. Michaelson & Messinger answers 630.654.2600 around the clock and sends crews across Chicago and the suburbs to secure and stabilize damaged property. Our related company, Accurate Board Up, is often on scene while the fire department is still there.
Emergency Services
- Board up of doors, windows, and openings to protect against weather, theft, and vandalism
- Roof tarping and temporary patching
- Water removal and extraction from basements and living areas
- Temporary electric service when the power has been cut
- Temporary heat to prevent frozen pipes and further damage in winter
- Winterization of plumbing: draining and blowing out lines when heat cannot be restored
- Demolition and removal of collapsed or unsafe structural elements
- Removal and pack out of damaged personal property, with documentation of everything removed
- Structural shoring where framing has been compromised
Why It Protects Your Claim
Your policy requires you to protect the property from further damage after a loss. A house left open to rain, cold, or vandals for a week produces damage the carrier will call neglect and refuse to pay. Same night board up and tarping closes that argument. It also preserves the evidence. Everything we remove is photographed and listed before it leaves the building, and that list becomes the contents claim.
Fire Scenes
At a fire scene we board up, tarp, remove firefighting water, set temporary power and heat, and begin the contents pack out. If you hire us to adjust the claim and rebuild, the emergency work rolls into the same contract. If you do not, the emergency work is billed to your insurance company as a covered expense.
Water Emergencies
For burst pipes, sump failures, and sewer backups, we extract water, remove saturated material, and set drying equipment the same day. Mold begins within 48 hours. Speed matters.
Storm Emergencies
Roof tarping, tree removal from structures, and board up of broken windows, the same day when it is safe to work.
Call Now
Call 630.654.2600. A person answers, and a crew is on the way.
Frequently Asked Questions: 24 Hour Emergency Services
How fast can you get to my property?
In most of the western and southwest suburbs and Chicago we are on site within one to three hours of your call, sooner for fire scenes where our related board up company is often already present.
Who pays for emergency board up and water removal?
Your insurance policy requires you to protect the property from further damage, and the cost of doing so is a covered expense. We bill the carrier directly as part of the claim. You do not pay out of pocket.
What do you do at a fire scene?
Board up doors and windows, tarp the roof, remove firefighting water, set temporary power and heat, remove unsafe structural elements, and begin packing out and documenting contents. Everything removed is photographed and listed before it leaves.
What should I do while I wait for your crew?
Stay out of the building if the fire department or utility has told you to. Do not throw anything away. Do not sign with any contractor who knocks on the door. Photograph what you can safely reach. We will handle the rest.
Can you remove water from a flooded basement tonight?
Yes. Extraction, removal of saturated material, and drying equipment the same day. Mold begins within 48 hours, so speed matters.
What is winterization and why would I need it?
If a fire or a utility shutoff leaves a house without heat in winter, the pipes will freeze and burst, adding a second loss. We drain and blow out the plumbing so that does not happen.
Do you provide temporary heat and electricity?
Yes. Generators, temporary electrical service, and temporary heaters keep the building safe for work and prevent frozen pipes when the utilities have been cut.
Is emergency service only for your adjusting clients?
No. Anyone can call. If you hire us to adjust the claim and rebuild, the emergency work rolls into the same contract. If not, the emergency work is billed to your carrier as a covered expense.
Do you cover storm damage emergencies?
Yes. Roof tarping, tree removal from structures, and board up of broken windows and doors, the same day when it is safe to work.
Can you start work before the claim is settled?
Emergency work starts immediately: board up, tarping, water removal, drying, and contents pack out. That work is a covered expense under your policy. The full rebuild begins once the scope and settlement are agreed with the carrier, so you are never building on money that has not been approved.
