to the more affluent driver. (6) The American public is largely unaware that a person’s education level, occupation, employment status, home ownership status, credit score, consumer report, previous insurer, and prior purchase of insurance are significant factors used to determine eligibility for preferred auto insurance rates regardless of the person’s driving history. As a result of the individual’s ineligibility for preferred rates, the driver’s policy and rate will be only offered from an affiliate company that has higher rates. 3. Requirements for private passenger automobile insurers (a) Use of certain income proxies prohibited It is unlawful for a private passenger automobile insurer, or any of its affiliate insurers, to take into consideration the level of education, occupation, employment status, home ownership status, credit score, consumer report, previous insurer, or prior purchase of insurance of a consumer in determining that consumer’s eligibility for automobile insurance or in calculating the rate for that consumer. (b) Public availability of information All underwriting rules and rate filings for use by any private passenger automobile insurer shall be available for public inspection and may not be considered proprietary trade secret information. (c) Reasonable procedures To assure compliance No person shall be held liable for any violation of this Act if the person shows by a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of the alleged violation the person maintained reasonable procedures to assure compliance with the provisions of this Act. (d) Rules of construction (1) Factors and methods influencing premiums For the purposes of this Act, a violation of subsection (a) shall be considered to have occurred whenever a consumer’s education, occupation, employment status, home ownership status, credit score, consumer report, previous insurer, or prior purchase of insurance prevents the consumer from obtaining insurance at the lowest rate available to the consumer from a private passenger