Chicago Insurance Specialists
Serving Chicago, the suburbs, and northern Illinois from Wisconsin to Monee and west to Rockford, plus Lake County, Indiana.
Adjusting, Restoration, Remodeling in Chicago, IL
Public Adjusters and Fire Restoration in Chicago, IL
Chicago is where most of our clients live. Look through our Google reviews and you will find homeowners from the Bungalow Belt, landlords with two flats and three flats, and business owners like Calumet Fisheries on the Southeast Side, all of whom hired Michaelson & Messinger after a fire. We are licensed Illinois public adjusters based in Hinsdale, twenty minutes west of the Loop, and our restoration crews work across the city every week.
Chicago Housing Is Different
Chicago bungalows, greystones, two flats, and frame cottages were built between 1890 and 1930 with balloon framing, plaster and lath, and original hardwood. Fire climbs inside the walls of a balloon framed building and shows up in the attic before it shows in the second floor. Smoke soaks into plaster and never comes out. Insurance carriers that estimate a Chicago bungalow fire as a clean and paint job are wrong, and we prove it with photographs of the wall cavities, the joists, and the attic. Contents in a Chicago home are inventoried room by room before anything goes in the dumpster.
Two Flats, Three Flats, and Rental Property
A fire in one unit of a two flat damages both. Smoke travels through shared walls and stairwells, and the water from the fire department comes down through every floor. Landlord policies cover the building and often lost rent, but the tenant contents are separate. We sort out which policy covers what, document the loss to each unit, and handle the lost rent claim so you are not carrying the mortgage on an empty building.
Commercial Fire Claims
Restaurants, storefronts, warehouses, and industrial buildings across Chicago have hired us for building, equipment, inventory, and business interruption claims. Chicago commercial claims involve the City of Chicago Department of Buildings, often a demolition court file, and sometimes a landlord and a tenant with separate policies. We know that process and we manage it for you.
Water, Sewer, and Storm
Chicago basements flood. Combined sewers back up in heavy rain, sump pumps fail, and frozen pipes burst in unheated rear porches and basements. Sewer backup is a separate endorsement on most Illinois policies with its own limit. Roof claims from wind and hail, and tree damage to garages and porches, are also routine for us across the city.
Board Up and Emergency Service
We provide 24 hour board up, roof tarping, and emergency water removal anywhere in Chicago. Securing the building the first night protects it from weather and vandalism and protects your claim. Our related company, Accurate Board Up, is often on the scene while the fire department is still there.
How the Claim Works
Call us and we meet you at the property. We secure the building, photograph everything, and inventory the structure and contents. We prepare a line item estimate with the same software the carriers use. We meet the insurance adjuster on site and negotiate. You are informed at every step, and you are not the one on the phone with the insurance company.
Restoration and Rebuild
Once the claim is settled, our own crews rebuild: structure, roofing, masonry, electrical, plumbing, plaster and drywall, flooring, kitchens, baths, and paint. We pull permits through the City of Chicago Department of Buildings and handle inspections. Our work carries a written warranty.
Neighborhoods We Serve
We work across the city, with deep experience on the Southwest and South Sides, including Beverly, Mount Greenwood, Ashburn, Garfield Ridge, Clearing, Chicago Lawn, West Lawn, Bridgeport, McKinley Park, South Deering, and the East Side, and on the Northwest Side in Portage Park, Jefferson Park, Dunning, and Belmont Cragin.
Call Us First
Reach us at 630.654.2600 any hour of the day or night. The first visit is free. Michaelson & Messinger holds an A+ Better Business Bureau rating and a 4.9 star Google rating, most of it from Chicago clients.
Our Projects in Chicago
Montana, Chicago Fire Damage Restoration Project
Fire damage restoration of a two-story home on the Northwest Side. Gut to the studs, new electrical, plumbing, kitchen, baths, and roof. Before Restoration
learn about this project»
Luella Chicago Home Restoration Project
Whole-house restoration on the South Side after a fire. New front elevation, open kitchen, two full bathrooms, finished lower level. Before Restoration:
learn about this project»
Balmoral Restoration, Chicago
Fire restoration on the North Side. Living room, kitchen, bedrooms, and bath rebuilt and refinished.
learn about this project»
What Our Clients Are Saying
There was a a fire at my property in December 2022. M&M promptly stepped in to make my restoration smooth and simple. Shannon was my adjuster and Dan was my contractor. My insurance company classified the damage as a total loss, so there was a significant amount of work that needed to be done. Dan and Shannon took care of absolutely everything, and promptly addressed all of my questions and concerns along the way. I hope never to experience such a tragedy again, but if I do, I will absolutely be working with M&M again.
After a nightmare handling a water insurance claim from a busted water line, I was fortunate to learn about Michaelson & Messigner Insurance Specialist from a coworker. Jeff was assigned to me as my adjuster, and he was absolutely great to work with. His knowledge of the insurance claim process is unmatched, and he helped me navigate it, making the process less overwhelming. I highly recommend working with Michaelson & Messigner if you’re dealing with an insurance claim, especially a commercial one. I am very grateful to have worked with Jeff and his company for everything they did for me.
M&M is a good company you can trust and rely on, after our fire damage they worked very hard to put us back in our home which is restored, reconstructed, and reincarnated. Thank you M&M! Bobby Williamson and Kimberly Bailey & Family, Chicago. P.S. They even come back out to your home to repair any damages, leaks, or imperfections, many months after the original project is complete. It has been four years since M&M have put our home back together after all the fire damages, and if something goes wrong you can depend on them to help repair the problem. […]
Dan and Ceasar were great to work with. They went over and above to make sure we were happy, and their work is outstanding. Corners are perfect on the moldings, everything is painted perfectly, and all the structural things are better than specs call for. I highly recommend them.
I was referred to Michaelson & Messinger Insurance Specialist by a friend. I setup an appointment, Dan came out & the rest is history. I am very pleased with their work & would highly recommend Michaelson & Messinger Insurance Specialist.
On behalf of keela& Robert Martin I would like to express warm thoughts and appreciation of this establishment. The horrifying experience my family went through the company truly helped and treated us as if we were family. The after hour calls the every step of the way shows dedication with being true to the business. Claudia was extremely helpful with showing concerns through this experience she made the Martin family feel safe and comfortable throughout the process again I highly recommend this company!
A fire can be one of the most devastating events in your life. M&M did an outstanding job repairing my home. All 3 floors were burned! Dan and Matthew took time to listen to me. They went the extra mile to make sure my home was restored and that I was satisfied. “I’m so glad I chose M&M to repair my home.”
I was very pleased with the professionalism and the skill in which they handled my claim. I would highly recommend them to anyone that needs a public adjuster to represent them.
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