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Spotlight PEPPOL BIS Billing 3.0 The EU e-invoicing mandate is here — France Sept 2026, Belgium Jan 2026, Germany 2025.

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Foundations

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Standards

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Flagship messages

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Tools

X12 255 — Underwriting Information Services

The 255 transmits underwriting information services — MVR, credit-based score, prior claims, inspection report — between a data provider and a P&C insurer.

Purpose

The 255 documents the delivery of underwriting information by a specialist bureau (LexisNexis, Verisk, historically ChoicePoint) to a P&C underwriter. It carries investigation results: Motor Vehicle Record, credit-based insurance score (CBIS), CLUE report (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange).

It is an input to the auto / home underwriting decision. Acknowledged by 997. Heavily regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) in the US.

Envelope structure

The 255 travels within the three X12 envelope levels (ISA/IEA, GS/GE with functional group UI, and ST/SE). Didactic example in release 004010:

x12 example-255.x12 
ISA*00*          *00*          *ZZ*LEXISNEXIS    *ZZ*PCCARRIER     *260515*1200*U*00401*000000255*0*P*>~
GS*UI*LEXISNEXIS*PCCARRIER*20260515*1200*1*X*004010~
ST*255*0001~
BGN*00*UI-RPT-2026-3344*20260515~
NM1*IL*1*ROBERTS*DAVID*K***34*DOB-PARTIAL~
DMG*D8*19790314*M~
N1*RP*LEXISNEXIS RISK SOLUTIONS*24*EIN-LN~
REF*ZZ*REPORT-TYPE-CLUE~
DTM*036*20260515~
LX*1~
NTE*ZZ*PRIOR CLAIMS - 1 IN PAST 5 YEARS~
SE*9*0001~
GE*1*1~
IEA*1*000000255~

Common segments

  • Header — ST, BGN.
  • Subject — NM1*IL, DMG.
  • Reporting bureau — N1*RP (Reporting Party).
  • Report — REF*ZZ (type — MVR, CLUE, CBIS), DTM*036 (report date).
  • Findings — LX loop: NTE detail, AMT for numeric score, REF for risk code.
  • Summary — SE.

Common pitfalls

  • FCRA permissible purpose: pulling a 255 without a recorded permissible purpose exposes to FTC sanctions; always document purpose in MSG or REF*ZZ.
  • Adverse action notice: if the 255 yields an adverse decision (denial, premium uplift), an FCRA adverse action notice is owed to the consumer — do not forget downstream.
  • Bureau name: N1*RP must name the exact bureau; a generic "Data Provider" violates FCRA traceability.

Documentation

The code 255 and the name Underwriting Information Services are public and listed on x12.org/products/transaction-sets. The complete structure of loops, qualifiers and code lists is distributed by DISA via the proprietary Implementation Guides (TR3). ediverse.io covers only public concepts, the envelope and didactic examples.