The purpose of this chapter is to establish standards for the collection, use and disclosure of information gathered in connection with insurance transactions; to maintain a balance between insurance carriers' need for information and the public's need for fair information practices that respect privacy; to establish a regulatory mechanism to enable insurance consumers to ascertain what information is being collected about them and to verify its accuracy; to limit the distribution of information collected in connection with insurance transactions; and to enable consumers to obtain the reasons for adverse underwriting decisions. [1997, c. 677, §3 (NEW); 1997, c. 677, §5 (AFF).]