(a) Any individual who is a potential applicant for a policy of personal automobile insurance as defined in subsection (a) of Section 143.13 of this Code shall be provided an oral estimate of premium charges based on the information provided to an insurance producer or designated representative who maintains an office within any municipality with 500,000 or more inhabitants. Such an estimate shall be given by any such insurance producer or designated representative of an insurer but shall not be binding.
     (b) No such insurer, insurance producer or designated representative shall require that an individual described in subsection (a) of this Section shall be present in person in order to obtain the estimate described in subsection (a).
     (c) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prohibit an insurer, insurance producer or designated representative from requiring that an individual be present in person to complete a final application for a policy of personal automobile insurance as defined in subsection (a) of Section 143.13 of this Code.