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We present the results of high signal-to-noise ratio VLT spectropolarimetryof a representative sample of 25 bright type 1 AGN at z<0.37, of which nine areradio-loud. The sample covers uniformly the 5100 A optical luminosity at$L_{5100}\sim 10^{44}-10^{46}$ erg s$^{-1}$, and H$\alpha$ width at FWHM$\sim1000-10,000$~ km/s. We derive the continuum and the H$\alpha$ polarizationamplitude, polarization angle, and angle swing across the line, together withthe radio properties. We find the following: 1. The broad line region (BLR) andcontinuum polarization are both produced by a single scattering medium. 2. Thescattering medium is equatorial, and at right angle to the system axis. 3. Thescattering medium is located at or just outside the BLR. The continuumpolarization and the H$\alpha$ polarization angle swing, can both serve as aninclination indicator. The observed line width is found to be affected byinclination, which can lead to an underestimate of the black hole mass by afactor of $\sim 5$ for a close-to face-on view. The line width measured in thepolarized flux overcomes the inclination bias, and provides a close-toequatorial view of the BLR in all AGN, which allows to reduce the inclinationbias in the BLR based black hole mass estimates.

Spectropolarimetry of low redshift Quasars: origin of the polarization and implications for black hole mass estimates