This Billing Code Help Center was created by the UTBMS Task Force to help law firms and timekeepers better understand and implement the task-based litigation codes for work that they receive from insurers. The UTBMS Task Force is a volunteer group independent of DRI or any insurance company that is composed of two dozen insurance claims executives, outside counsel and litigation consultants. The Task Force was formed in 2006 with the twin goals of (1) fine tuning the existing ABA/ACCA codes so that they make sense in the context of insurance defense work and (2) creating resources to educate and assist timekeepers in working with these codes.

The initial result of these efforts are a new Litigation Code Set that was promulgated by the Task Force in 2007 and is now in the course of being implemented by several major insurance companies, including AIG, CNA, OneBeacon and Zurich. Apart from clarifying and simplifying the wording of many of these codes, the principal changes are the elimination of two “miscellaneous codes” that have caused confusion in the past (Code 190 (Other Case Assessment and Administration) and Code 390 (Other Discovery)) and the addition of new codes for on-site inspections (L360) and travel time (A112).

You may download PDF versions of the UTBMS Litigation Codes by clicking one of the links below. A web version of the code set is available below.
UTBMS Litigation Code Set 2007 (PDF)

At the same time, the Task Force has created companion guide to the new code set setting forth an explanation of each code and Practice Tips for following them. Here’s a link
UTBMS Litigation Code Set with Practice Tips 2007(PDF)

A consultation panel comprised of lawyers and insurance representatives has been created to offer advice and guidance relative to the use of billing codes, with the goal of encouraging consistency in the application of these codes. Click here to submit a specific question to the panel. Please note that the panel will not resolve specific issues between a lawyer and a client - lawyers should always consult with your clients regarding their preferences for use of these codes.

UTBMS Code Set with Practice Tips 2007 (Web Version)