Getting to Know: Ronald Mazariegos

Adapting to Change

Mazariegos graduated law school in 2001 and went to work for New York City’s law department, where he served as civil trial attorney. Soon after he joined, 9/11 occurred, causing him to be displaced from his office located near Ground Zero for nine months. With no office space, he created his own solutions, conducting depositions and 50-H hearings in stairwells and elevator banks. He says the experience and the relationships he made during this time have proven invaluable to his career.

“The discussions I’ve had with the students have given me comfort that the future of insurance is bright and filled with talented individuals.”

Mazariegos, remarking on his time teaching at Claims College. An active CLM member since joining in 2010, he also co-founded CLM’s Cannabis Committee and was nominated for CLM’s Claims Professional of the Year in 2020.

Claims Come Calling                        

Mazariegos was an associate at a large New York law firm in 2007 when Arrowpoint inquired whether any attorneys would be interested in performing a secondment with their claims department in Charlotte, N.C. He volunteered for the opportunity because he wanted to obtain insights on the internal dealings of an insurance company, since it would help him better serve his firm’s clients.

“Mentoring younger claims professionals is vital to the growth of our industry; it’s a duty I take personally.”

Mazariegos, who says new adjusters should be curious, take pride in their work, employ creative thought processes, ask for help when needed, learn about departments other than claims, and join associations like CLM.

Managing Run-Off

Mazariegos says run-off legacy claims is a more involved process since the claims often involve complex medical and legal issues that require much time, attention, strategy, and innovation to reach an effective resolution. When Arrowpoint began the runoff, there were over 120,000 open and active claims. Today, the number is down to 7,500. 

“Handling high-impact, run-off legacy claims is no easy task. It requires perseverance given the volatility and risk associated with long-tail claims.”

Mazariegos, discussing the challenges of managing these unique claims when Arrowpoint acquired the U.S. insurance operations from Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Group after it stopped writing new business in the U.S.