Oak Lawn Insurance Specialists
Serving Surrounding Areas:
Adjusting, Restoration, Remodeling in Oak Lawn, IL
Public Adjusters and Fire Damage Restoration in Oak Lawn, IL
Oak Lawn is a village of about 57,000 people along 95th Street, and its housing stock is remarkably consistent: brick Georgians, Cape Cods, and ranches built in the 1950s and 1960s, most with full basements, detached garages, and original plaster. These homes were built well, but their electrical panels, furnaces, water heaters, and plumbing are now sixty years old. That is why Oak Lawn generates a steady stream of fire and water claims, and why Michaelson & Messinger has spent years working here as licensed Illinois public adjusters and restoration contractors.
Our office is in Hinsdale, about twenty minutes northwest. When you call about a fire or flood, we come to the house, secure it, and start documenting before anything is moved or thrown out.
Fire and Smoke in Oak Lawn Homes
The Oak Lawn Fire Department responds quickly from stations across the village, but fires in brick Georgians do a particular kind of damage. The brick exterior survives, so the carrier sees a house that looks fine from the street. Inside, the plaster and lath hold smoke odor that will never come out, the floor joists are charred, and the attic insulation is ruined. We open walls and ceilings, document what is behind them, and build an estimate for the gut and rebuild the house actually needs. Contents are inventoried room by room with photographs.
Water, Sewer, and Basement Claims
Nearly every Oak Lawn home has a basement, and many are finished. Sump pump failures, aging water heaters, and sewer backups during storms are the most common water losses we see here. Sewer and drain backup is usually a separate endorsement on Illinois policies with a limit that may not cover a finished basement. We check the policy first and document the water source correctly. We also handle frozen pipe bursts and roof leaks.
Storm Damage
Oak Lawn has a long memory for storms. We handle roof, siding, gutter, fence, and garage claims from hail and straight line winds. When shingles can no longer be matched, we present the matching claim under the policy language rather than accepting a patch.
Our Process
Call us and we meet you at the property, often the same day. We photograph and inventory everything. We prepare a full estimate with the same software the carriers use. We meet the insurance adjuster at the house and negotiate. You get updates. You do not get phone calls from the insurance company.
Restoration by the Same Team
Our crews handle demolition, drying, framing, roofing, electrical, plumbing, plaster and drywall, flooring, kitchens, baths, and paint. Permits go through the Village of Oak Lawn Building Department. Our work carries a written warranty, and we come back to fix anything that comes up after you move home.
Serving Oak Lawn and the Neighboring Towns
We also serve Burbank, Evergreen Park, Chicago Ridge, Hometown, Bridgeview, Alsip, Worth, and the Chicago neighborhoods just north of 87th Street.
Call Us Early
The first days after a fire set the tone for the whole claim. Call 630.654.2600 before you give a recorded statement or accept an offer. The visit is free. Michaelson & Messinger holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has served the south and west suburbs since 2006.
Contents Are Half the Claim
In a sixty year old Oak Lawn home, the contents often add up to as much as the repair. Furniture, clothing, tools in the garage, appliances, and everything in the basement have to be listed with a description, an age, and a replacement price. Carriers pay actual cash value first and release the rest when items are replaced. Most homeowners give up on this part because it is tedious. We do it for you, room by room, and we track the replacement holdback so the second payment actually arrives.
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.
Excellent work!! From the day the fire took place I was in a mode of panic. Thinking of my home and who was going to be the contractor for this project was fearful. But thank God, we came across M&M. Beginning with the adjuster to the contractor and his team I was relieved that they were able to do this work for us. It all turned out great and beautiful. I am extremely grateful and happy with their service and the job that they did! Props to Dan my contractor and my adjuster Leticia Abrego. Thank you, all! I totally […]
Highly recommended. Ed and Dan did a great job from start to finish. Thank you M&M team!
I cant express how grateful I am to have had Michaelson & Messinger (M&M) Insurance Specialists on our corner after a house fire left our recently purchased home in shambles. Jeffrey Kaess, our adjuster at M&M, was an absolute godsend. He was compassionate, knowledgeable and professional, which left us confident in the road ahead to rebuilding our home. Jeff was readily available at every turn, and helped us resolve any miscommunications or questions we had about our insurance policy and the construction. As with any construction project on an old home, unexpected work had to be done, and I was […]
EXCELLENT experience thanks to Stan M and Dan M. Very PROFESSIONAL and RESPONSIVE throughout the entire ordeal. My parents’ house was destroyed after a bad house fire and Stan helped to put my parents at ease and ensured that they understood what to expect throughout the process of the insurance claim and reconstruction project. Dan was in charge of the reconstruction and did a WONDERFUL job putting the house back together and MUCH BETTER than it was before. They both went ABOVE AND BEYOND, I would even say WAY BEYOND to help my parents and provided them with a PERSONABLE […]
Michaelson & Messinger did an amazing job after my house had a roof leak. They fixed the area of the house that was damaged and the roof. All of the guys where always on time and communicated the next steps in detail keeping to the time line given at the beginning. They did an amazing job and I would highly recommend them.
Did good work… they guaranteed they work for 5 years, whenever something came up with my home they made sure they sent someone out to fix it promptly.
A professional company the service was great and we have zero complaints. I would definitely use them again if needed
From the start this company has been a blessing! I was contacted right away in my time in need. Ed was very patient with me and helped me understand what it is they do! The repair team was professional and timely. When the fire happened we were under the impression it would be a 6+ month project but they repaired in less than 3 months. I would definitely recommend the house is beautiful!
Very professional, painter Paul exceptional, will take time to answer you questions, will explain everything, thumbs up.
I had an electrical fire at a rental property and Joe was there to take care of the estimate and help me receive insurance proceeds. It was a very smooth process and I felt it was handled very professionally. I will hopefully not need their services again but would use them if I do.
My home went into flames and i lost everything. Michaelson and Messinger rebuilt my house and it looks more amazing than before. They took care of the whole insurance process. Thank you Michaelson and Messinger!
I had a fire 5 months ago and last week I moved into my beautiful new looking home. I am so glad I hired Terry and his company M&M to get me threw these tough times if anybody is looking for a fire restoration company you need to look no further M&M is the best.
I can’t say enough good things about my experience. First of all, they are prompt. If they say they’ll be there at 7am, they are there at 6:45am….every time. I had a fire and they did a new full kitchen, deck, and more. The kitchen was done in 4 weeks. Great communication! Skilled, trustworthy workers. I was living in a hotel and they had access to my home. Never a problem. They were here when my field adjuster from the insurance company came. I believe that helped get me a considerable amount of money more granted for work to be […]
Professional staff! Phil and Claudia are great to work with!
An electrical fire in our attic occurred on 3/11/2020, 2 days before the pandemic lock down. Stan showed up while the fire departments were here and once he knew that everyone in the house was OK even though we were in shock he talked to us about what his company could do for us to get our house repaired and back to normal there was no pressure-he explained everything briefly to us left us a folder and we signed with Stan & his team were a blessing! It took 7 months from start to finish to get us back into […]
I recently had a fire and lost everything. I met with several restoration companies but none of them were as helpful and honest as Stan. From the very beginning my insurance company complicated the process which turned into a nightmare. Michaelson & Messinger helped negotiate my structural and contents claim and were able to generate more money to rebuild my home and fix it the right way. Stan handled everything and walked me through each step calmly and thoroughly. He went above and beyond and allowed me to pick everything out from top to bottom. He even shopped with me […]
Great people to do work worth helped me threw everything with my fire that happen at a rental very responses when calling help with all answers from insurance. Highley recommend!
The at Michaelson and Messinger has helped me with a few referrals of mine and they both thanked me for the professionalism and solving each of their unique situations. I received “thank you” emails from both referrals for referring them to M&M. Nice work, thanks for the prompt responsiveness as well when we reached out.
After only having my home for only 6 months I experienced a small fire that caused a lot of damage. Jarrett & Stan were there from day 1! From temporary housing to picking out tile. Stan was even nice enough to install my new security cameras after every thing was said & done. My whole experience was better than what I would have ever expected under those circumstances. I would definitely recommend this company!!!
Can’t say enough about my positive experience, they were timely professional and explained everything thoroughly. Ive had a few other companies come out, but they treated me with a sense of urgency. Workers were highly skilled, clean and organized. Communication was excellent which was my biggest concern! Definitely recommend M&M
My house was destroyed by fire in February 2020. I was devastated and did not know where to turn. I was surprised how Michaelson and Messinger stepped in to guide me along this process. More importantly, the project manager Stanley was the greatest. Stanley’s work is award winning, beautiful, and professional. Stanley and his crew are skilled, knowledgeable, patient, detailed oriented, and amazing. He thoroughly explained every detail of his plans and kept in constant communication with me. Stanley and his crew worked hard and diligently to remodel my house and it turned out spectacular! I would not hesitate to […]
One week before Thanksgiving 2020 my mother’s house caught fire. Just when you think 2020 couldn’t get worse, we were faced with the mass devastation as a result of the fire. As they were boarding up the house that evening Stan Maka of Michaelson and Messinger introduced himself and gave us some information about the company. The following day we met with Stan to get a better understanding of what his company was all about. We researched Michaelson and Messinger and called three references that Stan provided to me upon my request. After speaking to all three references at length […]
Michelson and Messinger did an outstanding job after a car hit my property. They negotiated a settlement with the insurance company then fix everything with no out of pkcket expense. Very pleased with Mike and Dennis.
Stanley was absolutely awesome. We had a fire at our rental property and he helped us throughout the whole process. Always answered the phone when we called and worked with our insurance company to get us the money that we deserved.
After an extensive house fire, we worked with Mike at Michaelson & Messinger for the restoration of our home. Mike and the team at Michaelson & Messinger were always working behind the scenes to make sure we had the best possible outcome. They handled all of the negotiations with our insurance adjusters and worked with our mortgage company in a way that made us proud to be their customers. They took the stress out of what could have been a very stressful situation. The contractor, Aerk, did an amazing job with all of the restoration work. All of the workers […]
M&M performed excellently for my water restoration relocation and construction.
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