HOW WE WORK

Editorial Standards

The sources behind Stuama.ie’s guides and comparisons, how they are checked and kept up to date, and how commercial relationships are kept away from what we publish as fact.

  • Last updated

Purpose

Stuama.ie aims to publish accurate, useful and understandable information that helps businesses in Ireland compare business services. These standards explain how we try to do that: where our information comes from, how it is checked, how comparisons are put together and how commercial relationships are kept away from what we publish as fact.

Who is responsible

Stuama.ie is operated by Paul Hudson, trading as Magenta Online Marketing, who is responsible for what is published on the site. Stuama.ie is a small, independently operated website. We do not claim that pages have been reviewed by an accountant, solicitor, insurance professional or other specialist; what we can say is that they are built from the sources described below and checked in the way this page describes.

Sources

We use sources in this order of preference:

  1. Regulators, government and legislation. For example Revenue, the Central Bank of Ireland, the Data Protection Commission, the CCPC, the Irish Statute Book and EUR-Lex.
  2. Provider first-party documentation. A provider’s own pricing pages, help centre, product pages and terms, for what that provider offers and charges.
  3. Recognised official statistics. For example the CSO and the CRO.
  4. High-quality secondary sources, only where no primary source covers the point, and never for a figure or rule that a reader may rely on if a primary source exists.

Where a page relies on a specific source, we link to it so that you can check it yourself.

Keeping information current

Prices, product features, terms and regulatory information can all change after a page is published. To make that clear:

  • pages that quote provider prices or features give the date on which they were checked;
  • guides show the date they were last updated;
  • where a figure changes often, or could not be confirmed from its source, we explain the point in general terms rather than quoting a number that may be out of date.

Always confirm current prices and terms with the provider before you sign up.

Fact-checking

Material factual claims, such as a price, a fee, a feature, a statistic or a statement about the law, are checked against their source before publication. We keep a record of the sources behind each page and the date each was checked, so that claims can be rechecked later.

We also try to make clear which kind of information you are reading:

  • Facts, such as a published fee or an official statistic, checked against a named source;
  • General guidance, such as the factors that usually affect a price, which will vary from business to business;
  • Illustrative examples, such as worked calculations using made-up rates, which are labelled as examples and are not offers or quotes.

How comparisons are made

  • Like-for-like criteria. Providers are compared on the same points, using published standard terms, so that differences are meaningful.
  • Clear scope. A comparison covers the providers it names, not the whole market. Where providers are listed, the order is stated (currently alphabetical), and inclusion is not a recommendation.
  • Stated limitations. We point out what a comparison cannot show, such as negotiated rates, promotions or terms that depend on a provider’s assessment of your business.
  • Judgement kept separate from fact. Where a page offers a view on which kind of option may suit which kind of business, it is written as a judgement, not presented as an objective fact.

Commercial influence

Stuama.ie can have commercial relationships. At present, the business insurance comparison and quote route to CompareInsuranceIreland.ie is one, and the operator of Stuama.ie may gain commercially when readers use it. Our Our Partnerships page sets out every current arrangement.

Our editorial policy is that:

  • a commercial relationship does not decide what a page states as fact;
  • providers do not approve or edit our content before it is published;
  • no provider is guaranteed favourable coverage, and a provider without a commercial relationship is treated on the same factual basis as one with a relationship;
  • commercial routes are identified next to the link.

Reviews and updates

Pages are reviewed and updated when we learn that something relevant has changed, for example when a provider changes its prices, a rule or official figure is updated, or a reader reports a problem. We do not work to a fixed review schedule for every page, which is why dates are shown where they matter.

Corrections

When a material error is identified and confirmed, we correct it. Our Corrections Policy explains how to report an error and how reports are handled.

General information, not professional advice

Stuama.ie provides general information to help you compare business services. It does not provide legal, accounting, tax, financial or personalised insurance advice. For decisions that depend on your own circumstances, speak to the provider, or to a suitably qualified professional such as an accountant, solicitor or regulated insurance intermediary.