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Top-Ranked Insurance Lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.225 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked insurance lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida are Ben Allen Andrews (LexRank 84.00), Richard Burton Bush (80.00) and Jeffrey Scott Howell (80.00).

This ranking lists 25 insurance lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 12 to 47 years in practice. 1 of the 25 lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
25
Fully verified
25 of 25

The ranking

Ordered by organic LexRank score; paid placements are labelled and never affect a position. How we rank

  1. No change

    Ben Allen Andrews

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 37 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.1)
    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  2. No change

    Richard Burton Bush

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 46 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20). 4.00 points behind #1, mostly reputation.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    4.00 points behind #1 (Ben Allen Andrews): Reputation −4.

  3. No change

    Jeffrey Scott Howell

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 37 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  4. No change

    Thomas A Marchese

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 29 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  5. No change

    Mark Vincent Murray

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 27 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  6. No change

    Paul Alan Shapiro

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 31 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  7. No change

    Elena-Juliette Gomez

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 29 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.40 points behind #6, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    1.40 points behind #6 (Paul Alan Shapiro): Data quality −1.4.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  8. No change

    Leon Mathew Biegalski

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 33 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 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 23.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  9. No change

    Mark Kenneth Delegal

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 32 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 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 23.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  10. No change

    Bob G Freemon Jr. “Bob G Freemon”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 44 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 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 23.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  11. No change

    Joseph G Hern Jr.

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 43 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 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 23.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  12. No change

    Christopher Daniel Johnston

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 27 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #12?

    Ranks #12 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 23.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  13. No change

    Thomas Joseph Maida “Tom”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 47 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #13?

    Ranks #13 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 23.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  14. No change

    Heath Ryan Stokley

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 27 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #14?

    Ranks #14 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 23.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  15. No change

    Heather Leigh Turnbull

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 26 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #15?

    Ranks #15 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 23.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  16. No change

    James Irwin Knudson II

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 23 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #16?

    Ranks #16 with 77.60: strongest in Experience (27.6/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.00 points behind #15, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 27.6/30 (ranking avg 23.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    1.00 points behind #15 (Heather Leigh Turnbull): Experience −2.4.

  17. No change

    Jennifer Ann Sullivan

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 23 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #17?

    Ranks #17 with 77.60: strongest in Experience (27.6/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 27.6/30 (ranking avg 23.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  18. No change

    Heather Leigh Stearns

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 24 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #18?

    Ranks #18 with 77.40: strongest in Experience (28.8/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20). 0.20 points behind #17, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 23.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    0.20 points behind #17 (Jennifer Ann Sullivan): Data quality −1.4.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  19. No change

    Jerard Clifford Heller “Jerard C.”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 44 years experience
    • Consumer Protection · Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #19?

    Ranks #19 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20). 2.40 points behind #18, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    2.40 points behind #18 (Heather Leigh Stearns): Practice-area relevance −5.

  20. No change

    Christine Edwards Lamia “Chris”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 38 years experience
    • Environmental · Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #20?

    Ranks #20 with 73.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.40 points behind #19, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.1)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    1.40 points behind #19 (Jerard Clifford Heller “Jerard C.”): Data quality −1.4.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  21. No change

    Sarah Finney Kjellin “Sarah”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #21?

    Ranks #21 with 71.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (21.6/30). 2.00 points behind #20, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 23.1)

    2.00 points behind #20 (Christine Edwards Lamia “Chris”): Experience −8.4.

  22. No change

    Steven Kyle Richardson

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #22?

    Ranks #22 with 68.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (18/30). 3.60 points behind #21, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 23.1)

    3.60 points behind #21 (Sarah Finney Kjellin “Sarah”): Experience −3.6.

  23. No change

    Sarah June Berner

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #23?

    Ranks #23 with 66.60: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (18/30). 1.40 points behind #22, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 23.1)

    1.40 points behind #22 (Steven Kyle Richardson): Data quality −1.4.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  24. No change

    Nicholas Ryan Paquette

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 13 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #24?

    Ranks #24 with 65.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (15.6/30). 1.00 points behind #23, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 23.1)

    1.00 points behind #23 (Sarah June Berner): Experience −2.4.

  25. No change

    Dale S. Shelton “DALE S SHELTON”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 12 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #25?

    Ranks #25 with 64.40: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (14.4/30). 1.20 points behind #24, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 14.4/30 (ranking avg 23.1)

    1.20 points behind #24 (Nicholas Ryan Paquette): Experience −1.2.

Insurance market in Tallahassee

LexRanked tracks 32 lawyers in insurance law in Tallahassee, Florida. 32 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
32
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
32 of 32
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
26.5 years32 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 Tallahassee

What sets these Tallahassee 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 25 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 12 to 47 (median 29)
Languages besides English French (1), Spanish (1)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Florida State University College of Law (11 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Tallahassee office address and insurance as a practice area on record. It compares 25 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 Leon County is in Florida's Second 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.

  1. Look up the lawyer in The Florida Bar's directory and check the bar number shown on their LexRanked profile.
  2. Ask whether the lawyer you meet will handle your matter personally, and how many matters like yours they have handled recently.
  3. Ask how they charge and what costs are extra, and get the agreement in writing.
  4. If you prefer to work in another language, check the languages listed on each profile.

Further reading

Sources for the rules above

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 Tallahassee?

State court cases in Leon County are heard in Florida's Second Judicial Circuit.

Are there Spanish-speaking insurance lawyers in Tallahassee?

Yes. 1 of the 25 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?

25 of the 25 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Ben Allen Andrews, Richard Burton Bush, Jeffrey Scott Howell, Thomas A Marchese and Mark Vincent Murray and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Ben Allen Andrews scores 84.00 and Richard Burton Bush 80.00, a gap of 4.00 points, mostly in reputation. 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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