Representatives from seven insurance industry and consumergroups are set to testify Monday at a New Jersey Senate hearing onthe controversial topic of whether job status and education shouldbe a factor in setting auto premiums, according to a legislativenotice.

The session in Trenton has been scheduled by Sen. Nia H. Gill,D-Montclair, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee and hasintroduced legislation to prohibit use of education and job levelsto rate driver risks.

The legislation up for discussion was generated after reportsthat GEICO used jobs and education as the sole basis in fixingeligibility and premiums for auto coverage.

Sen. Gill's announcement of the session said it will examine theunderwriting factors and rating systems used by private passengerauto insurers to determine driver eligibility and premiums forinsurance coverage.

Her notice said the hearing will include, but not be limited to,information concerning the use of occupation and education todetermine driver eligibility and premiums.

Scheduled to testify before the committee are representativesfrom: the Department of Banking and Insurance, New Jersey UnitedReciprocal Exchange, New Jersey Citizen Action, Insurance Councilof New Jersey, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America,National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies and GovernmentEmployees Insurance Company.

GEICO has said the characterization of their underwritingprocess as relying solely on job and education data is "absolutelyuntrue."

Vince Matthews, a spokesman for Sen. Gill, said herbill--S.1714--could be scheduled for a vote at the committee's nextmeeting after the hearing, which should provide "guidance forfurther action."

He said the bill has Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Woodbridge and Sen.Joseph Doria, D-Bayonne, as sponsors.

A similar measure has been introduced in the Assembly byFinancial Institutions and Insurance Committee Chairman Neil Cohen,D-Union, which would also bar collection of job and education datafor insurance applications or renewals.

Assemblyman Cohen has said that in his view, use of job andeducation information is "just a mechanism so that insurancecompanies can charge more money."

According to GEICO, it evaluates more than two dozen potentialrisk factors in underwriting applicants, and the factors have theapproval of New Jersey insurance regulators.

Monday's 1 p.m. hearing will be accessible on the Internet atwww.njleg.state.nj.us.