Insurance
Top-Ranked Insurance Lawyers in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Summary
As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked insurance lawyers in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida are Richard J Fidei “Rich Fidei” (LexRank 78.60), George Edward Harris (78.60) and Shelly Ann McKay (76.20).
This ranking lists 17 insurance lawyers in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 4 to 51 years in practice. 1 of the 17 lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.
- Lawyers ranked
- 17
- Fully verified
- 17 of 17
The ranking
Ordered by organic LexRank score; paid placements are labelled and never affect a position. How we rank
- Rank1-No changeRF
Richard J Fidei “Rich Fidei”
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 29 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
78.60LexRankView profileWhy #1?
Ranks #1 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20).
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank2-No changeGH
George Edward Harris
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 51 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
78.60LexRankView profileWhy #2?
Ranks #2 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20).
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank3-No changeSM
Shelly Ann McKay
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 23 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
76.20LexRankView profileWhy #3?
Ranks #3 with 76.20: strongest in Experience (27.6/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20). 2.40 points behind #2, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Experience 27.6/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
2.40 points behind #2 (George Edward Harris): Experience −2.4.
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank4-No changeRJ
Richard Alan Jarolem
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 30 years experience
- Environmental · Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
75.00LexRankView profileWhy #4?
Ranks #4 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.20 points behind #3, mostly practice-area relevance.
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
1.20 points behind #3 (Shelly Ann McKay): Practice-area relevance −5.
- Rank5-No changeMJ
Michael Anthony Motto Jr.
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 31 years experience
- Insurance · Product Liability
- ✓ Bar status verified
73.60LexRankView profileWhy #5?
Ranks #5 with 73.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.40 points behind #4, mostly data quality.
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.6)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
1.40 points behind #4 (Richard Alan Jarolem): Data quality −1.4.
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank6-No changeGL
George Demetrios Lagos
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 19 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
72.80LexRankView profileWhy #6?
Ranks #6 with 72.80: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Experience (22.8/30); held back by Reputation (0/20). 0.80 points behind #5, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
- Experience 22.8/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
0.80 points behind #5 (Michael Anthony Motto Jr.): Experience −7.2.
- Rank7-No changeDK
Douglas A Kahle
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 28 years experience
- Insurance · Probate Litigation
- ✓ Bar status verified
71.93LexRankView profileWhy #7?
Ranks #7 with 71.93: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Practice-area relevance (13.3/20). 0.87 points behind #6, mostly practice-area relevance.
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.6)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
- Practice-area relevance 13.3/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
0.87 points behind #6 (George Demetrios Lagos): Practice-area relevance −6.7, Data quality −1.4.
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank8-No changeTK
Tara Lynn Kopp
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 17 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
70.40LexRankView profileWhy #8?
Ranks #8 with 70.40: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (20.4/30). 1.53 points behind #7, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
- Experience 20.4/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
1.53 points behind #7 (Douglas A Kahle): Experience −9.6.
- Rank9-No changeEZ
Elizabeth E. Zimmaro
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 15 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
68.00LexRankView profileWhy #9?
Ranks #9 with 68.00: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (18/30). 2.40 points behind #8, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
- Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
2.40 points behind #8 (Tara Lynn Kopp): Experience −2.4.
- Rank10-No changeMH
Matthew Frank Hall
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 15 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
68.00LexRankView profileWhy #10?
Ranks #10 with 68.00: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (18/30).
Strongest
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
- Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
- Rank11-No changeGG
Geoffrey S Stahl “Geoff”
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 15 years experience
- Insurance · Product Liability
- ✓ Bar status verified
67.00LexRankView profileWhy #11?
Ranks #11 with 67.00: strongest in Reputation (4/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (18/30). 1.00 points behind #10, mostly practice-area relevance.
Strongest
- Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
Held back by
- Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
1.00 points behind #10 (Matthew Frank Hall): Practice-area relevance −5.
- Rank12-No changeMP
Michael Charles Peckham
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 16 years experience
- Insurance · Medical Malpractice
- ✓ Bar status verified
64.20LexRankView profileWhy #12?
Ranks #12 with 64.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (19.2/30). 2.80 points behind #11, mostly reputation.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.6)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
- Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
2.80 points behind #11 (Geoffrey S Stahl “Geoff”): Reputation −4.
- Rank13-No changeBW
Ben J Whitman
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 13 years experience
- Insurance · Product Liability
- ✓ Bar status verified
60.60LexRankView profileWhy #13?
Ranks #13 with 60.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (15.6/30). 3.60 points behind #12, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.6)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
- Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
3.60 points behind #12 (Michael Charles Peckham): Experience −3.6.
- Rank14-No changeCR
Christian Charles Romaguera
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 7 years experience
- Insurance · Medical Malpractice
- ✓ Bar status verified
51.73LexRankView profileWhy #14?
Ranks #14 with 51.73: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (8.4/30). 8.87 points behind #13, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.6)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
- Experience 8.4/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
8.87 points behind #13 (Ben J Whitman): Experience −7.2, Practice-area relevance −1.7.
- Rank15-No changeMM
Matthew Paul Mazzola “Matthew Mazzola”
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 5 years experience
- Insurance
- ✓ Bar status verified
50.85LexRankView profileWhy #15?
Ranks #15 with 50.85: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (6/30). 0.88 points behind #14, mostly professional credentials.
Strongest
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
- Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
- Experience 6/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
0.88 points behind #14 (Christian Charles Romaguera): Professional credentials −3.8, Experience −2.4, Data quality −1.4.
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank16-No changeSC
Shane Adam Chernoff
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 9 years experience
- Insurance · Medical Malpractice
- ✓ Bar status verified
50.38LexRankView profileWhy #16?
Ranks #16 with 50.38: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (10.8/30). 0.47 points behind #15, mostly practice-area relevance.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
- Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
- Experience 10.8/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
0.47 points behind #15 (Matthew Paul Mazzola “Matthew Mazzola”): Practice-area relevance −6.7.
- Rank17-No changeKR
Kyle Zachary Rowars
Independent practice · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Verified- 4 years experience
- Insurance · Product Liability
- ✓ Bar status verified
48.40LexRankView profileWhy #17?
Ranks #17 with 48.40: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (4.8/30). 1.98 points behind #16, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.6)
- Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)
Held back by
- Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
- Experience 4.8/30 (ranking avg 20.0)
1.98 points behind #16 (Shane Adam Chernoff): Experience −6, Data quality −1.4.
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
Data sources behind the scores
Every score on this page is calculated from facts backed by these sources. Each profile shows which source supports which fact and when it was last checked.
- floridabar.org · Official / regulatory · 17 profile pages168 facts for 17 lawyers
Insurance market in Palm Beach Gardens
LexRanked tracks 17 lawyers in insurance law in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. 17 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.
- Lawyers
- 17
- Law firms
- 0
- Verified professional data
- 17 of 17
- Average rating
- Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
- Median review count
- Withheldtoo few sourced counts
- Median experience
- 16 years17 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 Palm Beach Gardens
What sets these Palm Beach Gardens 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 17 ranked lawyers | Figure |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 4 to 51 (median 16) |
| Languages besides English | French (1), Greek (1), Spanish (1) |
| License status with The Florida Bar | Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer |
| Most common law school | Nova Southeastern University - Shepard Broad College of Law (3 lawyers) |
Who is included in this ranking?
Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Palm Beach Gardens office address and insurance as a practice area on record. It compares 17 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 | Palm Beach County is in Florida's Fifteenth 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 Palm Beach Gardens?
State court cases in Palm Beach County are heard in Florida's Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.
Are there Spanish-speaking insurance lawyers in Palm Beach Gardens?
Yes. 1 of the 17 ranked lawyers lists 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?
17 of the 17 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Richard J Fidei “Rich Fidei”, George Edward Harris, Shelly Ann McKay, Richard Alan Jarolem and Michael Anthony Motto Jr. and others.
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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