At a time when greater transparency in financial services is called for and many are suffering from the collapse of financial institutions and other key sectors through no fault of their own, the insurance industry seems committed to greater opacity, and indeed, compounding the hardship of working families.

The advent of education and employment status as underwriting criteria for property insurance, particularly automobile, is just the latest manifestation. This "innovation" by the industry also undercuts a core underwriting objective.

Use of education and employment in the underwriting of property insurance undermines a key function of insurance–discouraging irresponsible behavior and incentivizing responsible loss prevention. It also exercises an adverse disparate impact on racial minorities, despite protestations to the contrary by some within the industry. Consequently, some of the most vulnerable segments of the population are hurt.