Trust Framework
Research Standards
Original research published by the Institute follows a documented process — from hypothesis through data sourcing, methodology versioning, internal review, and public publication.
Research scope
The Institute publishes household protection, financial safety, and resilience research. We do not produce carrier-specific reviews, individual investment advice, or political commentary.
Hypothesis and pre-registration
Each research project begins with a documented hypothesis and outcome definition. Methodology is finalized before data is examined; subsequent changes are versioned and disclosed.
- Hypothesis documented in internal research log
- Outcome definition fixed before data work
- Methodology versioned with semver
- Methodology changes published in changelog
Data sourcing
Data sources are primary where possible — government, industry trade associations, regulatory filings. Aggregated commercial data is cited and labeled. See Data Sources for the active list.
Methodology versioning
Every flagship index (PI, FSI, HRI, Maturity Model) is versioned. Weighting changes, factor additions, or definitional shifts trigger a major version bump and a published changelog.
Internal review
Research is internally reviewed before publication by a reviewer not involved in the original work. Statistical claims are spot-checked against source data. Outlier findings receive secondary review.
Publication cadence
Flagship annual reports are published Q4. Quarterly observatory updates are published in March, June, September, and December. Hot-topic studies are published as completed.
- Q4 — Annual reports (HRI, FSI, Resilience)
- Quarterly — Observatory updates
- Monthly — Hot-topic studies as completed
Reader feedback
Reader-submitted methodology questions are tracked and answered. Substantive critiques are incorporated into the next version and credited under research disclosure.