Insurance
Top-Ranked Insurance Lawyers in Clearwater, Florida
Summary
As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked insurance lawyers in Clearwater, Florida are Robert Nathan Hightower “Nathan” (LexRank 78.60), Matthew A. Dolman (76.40) and John Larsen Mulvihill (76.40).
This ranking lists 10 insurance lawyers in Clearwater, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 4 to 42 years in practice. 2 of the 10 list Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.
- Lawyers ranked
- 10
- Fully verified
- 10 of 10
The ranking
Ordered by organic LexRank score; paid placements are labelled and never affect a position. How we rank
- Rank1-No changeRN
Robert Nathan Hightower “Nathan”
Independent practice · Clearwater, FL
Verified- 42 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
78.60LexRankView profileWhy #1?
Ranks #1 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15).
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 16.7)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank2-No changeMD
Matthew A. Dolman
Independent practice · Clearwater, FL
Verified- 22 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
76.40LexRankView profileWhy #2?
Ranks #2 with 76.40: strongest in Experience (26.4/30) and Data quality (10/10). 2.20 points behind #1, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Experience 26.4/30 (ranking avg 16.7)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
2.20 points behind #1 (Robert Nathan Hightower “Nathan”): Experience −3.6.
- Rank3-No changeJM
John Larsen Mulvihill
Independent practice · Clearwater, FL
Verified- 22 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
76.40LexRankView profileWhy #3?
Ranks #3 with 76.40: strongest in Experience (26.4/30) and Data quality (10/10).
Strongest
- Experience 26.4/30 (ranking avg 16.7)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
- Rank4-No changeCL
Chelsie Marie Lamie
Independent practice · Clearwater, FL
Verified- 19 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
72.80LexRankView profileWhy #4?
Ranks #4 with 72.80: strongest in Experience (22.8/30) and Data quality (10/10). 3.60 points behind #3, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Experience 22.8/30 (ranking avg 16.7)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
3.60 points behind #3 (John Larsen Mulvihill): Experience −3.6.
- Rank5-No changeFG
Francisco Octavio Garcia
Independent practice · Clearwater, FL
Verified- 13 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
65.60LexRankView profileWhy #5?
Ranks #5 with 65.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (15.6/30). 7.20 points behind #4, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)
Held back by
- Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 16.7)
7.20 points behind #4 (Chelsie Marie Lamie): Experience −7.2.
- Rank6-No changeWW
William Morgan Woods
Independent practice · Clearwater, FL
Verified- 14 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
65.40LexRankView profileWhy #6?
Ranks #6 with 65.40: strongest in Experience (16.8/30) and Professional credentials (15/15). 0.20 points behind #5, mostly data quality.
Strongest
- Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 16.7)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)
0.20 points behind #5 (Francisco Octavio Garcia): Data quality −1.4.
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank7-No changeGG
Gabrielle Sanandajian “Gabby”
Independent practice · Clearwater, FL
Verified- 7 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
58.40LexRankView profileWhy #7?
Ranks #7 with 58.40: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (8.4/30). 7.00 points behind #6, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)
Held back by
- Experience 8.4/30 (ranking avg 16.7)
7.00 points behind #6 (William Morgan Woods): Experience −8.4.
- Rank8-No changeSN
Shaheen Nouri
Independent practice · Clearwater, FL
Verified- 8 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
58.20LexRankView profileWhy #8?
Ranks #8 with 58.20: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Experience (9.6/30). 0.20 points behind #7, mostly data quality.
Strongest
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)
- Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)
Held back by
- Experience 9.6/30 (ranking avg 16.7)
0.20 points behind #7 (Gabrielle Sanandajian “Gabby”): Data quality −1.4.
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank9-No changeRS
Robert Austin Studor
Independent practice · Clearwater, FL
Verified- 5 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
56.00LexRankView profileWhy #9?
Ranks #9 with 56.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (6/30). 2.20 points behind #8, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)
Held back by
- Experience 6/30 (ranking avg 16.7)
2.20 points behind #8 (Shaheen Nouri): Experience −3.6.
- Rank10-No changeKK
Kelsey Caye King
Independent practice · Clearwater, FL
Verified- 4 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
54.80LexRankView profileWhy #10?
Ranks #10 with 54.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (4.8/30). 1.20 points behind #9, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)
Held back by
- Experience 4.8/30 (ranking avg 16.7)
1.20 points behind #9 (Robert Austin Studor): Experience −1.2.
Insurance market in Clearwater
LexRanked tracks 10 lawyers in insurance law in Clearwater, Florida. 10 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 22, 2026.
- Lawyers
- 10
- Law firms
- 0
- Verified professional data
- 10 of 10
- Average rating
- Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
- Median review count
- Withheldtoo few sourced counts
- Median experience
- 13.5 years10 lawyers
Calculated by LexRanked from its own records on ; data verified . Ratings and review counts count only when backed by a source; figures from fewer than three profiles are withheld. All lawyers in Clearwater
What sets these Clearwater lawyers apart
Every lawyer in this ranking has a The Florida Bar license verified as eligible to practice, and every fact shown links to its source. The figures below come from each lawyer's Florida Bar profile.
| Fact about the 10 ranked lawyers | Figure |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 4 to 42 (median 13.5) |
| Languages besides English | Spanish (2), Farsi (1) |
| License status with The Florida Bar | Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer |
| Most common law school | Stetson University College of Law (8 lawyers) |
Who is included in this ranking?
Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Clearwater office address and insurance as a practice area on record. It compares 10 insurance lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. The Florida Bar does not board-certify lawyers in insurance, so the practice area is the one each lawyer lists on their Florida Bar profile, which The Florida Bar does not review. How we rank.
Florida rules to know
A Florida homeowner must give the insurer notice of a property insurance claim within 1 year after the date of loss, and a lawsuit for breach of the policy must be filed within 5 years of the loss.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Notice of a property claim | A new or reopened claim is barred unless notice reaches the insurer within 1 year after the date of loss; a supplemental claim within 18 months (Fla. Stat. § 627.70132(2)) |
| Hurricane date of loss | For hurricanes and other weather events, the date of loss is the landfall date or the date NOAA verifies the event (§ 627.70132(3)) |
| Insurer response | The insurer must acknowledge a claim communication within 7 days and pay or deny a property claim within 60 days after notice (§ 627.70131(1) and (7)) |
| Lawsuit deadline | 5 years from the date of loss for breach of a property insurance contract (§ 95.11(2)(e)) |
| Bad faith | An insured may sue an insurer that did not attempt in good faith to settle a claim, after 60 days written notice to the Department of Financial Services and the insurer (§ 624.155) |
| Court | Where cases are heard |
|---|---|
| State court circuit | Pinellas County is in Florida's Sixth Judicial Circuit |
How to choose among these lawyers
Confirm the license, ask who will handle your matter, and get the fee terms in writing before you sign.
- Look up the lawyer in The Florida Bar's directory and check the bar number shown on their LexRanked profile.
- Ask whether the lawyer you meet will handle your matter personally, and how many matters like yours they have handled recently.
- Ask how they charge and what costs are extra, and get the agreement in writing.
- If you prefer to work in another language, check the languages listed on each profile.
Further reading
Sources for the rules above
- The Florida Bar: member directory (license, certification, languages, admission dates)
- The Florida Bar News: Board certification continues to set Florida lawyers apart (July 2026)
- Florida Statutes, section 627.70132 (notice of property insurance claim)
- Florida Statutes, section 627.70131 (insurer duties on claims)
- Florida Statutes, section 95.11 (limitations of actions)
- Florida Statutes, section 624.155 (civil remedy)
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to report a property insurance claim in Florida?
1 year after the date of loss for a new or reopened claim, and 18 months for a supplemental claim (section 627.70132). For a hurricane, the date of loss is the date it made landfall.
How long does my insurer have to pay or deny a claim?
60 days after it receives notice of the claim, unless factors beyond its control prevent it (section 627.70131(7)).
What is a civil remedy notice?
A written notice on a Department of Financial Services form that must be filed 60 days before a bad-faith lawsuit under section 624.155. No suit lies if the insurer pays or corrects the problem within those 60 days.
How long do I have to sue my insurance company?
5 years from the date of loss for breach of a property insurance contract (section 95.11(2)(e)), but the claim itself must first be reported within 1 year.
Which court handles cases in Clearwater?
State court cases in Pinellas County are heard in Florida's Sixth Judicial Circuit.
Are there Spanish-speaking insurance lawyers in Clearwater?
Yes. 2 of the 10 ranked lawyers list Spanish on their Florida Bar profile. Each LexRanked profile shows the languages on record.
How is this ranking ordered?
By the LexRank score, calculated only from facts with a cited source: experience, practice-area relevance, awards on record such as board certification, professional credentials, data quality and location. Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Payment never changes a position.
Do client reviews affect the LexRank score?
Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Reviews are shown on profiles for information only, and Reputation counts only awards on record, such as board certification. How we rank
Which lawyers are verified?
10 of the 10 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Robert Nathan Hightower “Nathan”, Matthew A. Dolman, John Larsen Mulvihill, Chelsie Marie Lamie and Francisco Octavio Garcia and others.
What is the difference between the top two lawyers?
Robert Nathan Hightower “Nathan” scores 78.60 and Matthew A. Dolman 76.40, a gap of 2.20 points, mostly in experience. Compare them side by side
About this ranking
- Last updated
- Methodology
- LexRank v1.2 - deterministic, reproducible scoring
- Editorial review
- LexRanked editorial team,
- Independence
- Positions are never sold. Paid placements, if any, are labelled and do not affect scores.
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