Before the development of large-scale government and employer health insurance and other financial services, friendly societies played an important part in many people's lives. Many of these societies still exist. In some countries, some of them developed into large mutually-run financial institutions, typically insurance companies, and lost any social and ceremonial aspect they may have had; in others they continue to have a role based on solidarity and democracy without an objective to make profit. The current position of the mutual benefit society in Europe is well described in a report from 2012, commissioned by the
European Commission. Healthcare mutuals worldwide are coming together in
Association Internationale de la Mutualité, a Brussels-based association of healthcare mutuals.
United Kingdom Friendly societies in countries such as the United Kingdom were subject to prudential regulation to safeguard the financial interests of their members and secure the benefits promised to them, but the legislation (see for example the
Friendly Societies Act 1875 (
38 & 39 Vict. c. 60)) was separate from that applicable to insurance companies. In other countries friendly societies have no specific legal status, which means that they have to comply to the same rules and regulations as for-profit insurance companies. In some cases, especially in America, members typically paid a regular membership fee and went to lodge meetings to take part in ceremonies. If members became sick, they would receive an allowance to help them meet their financial obligations. The society might have a doctor whom the member could consult for free. Members of the lodge would visit to provide emotional and other support (and possibly to verify that the sick member was not
malingering). When a member died, the funeral would be paid for and the members of the lodge might attend in ceremonial dress. Often, there was some money left over for the next of kin. Friendly societies might also organize social functions such as dances, and some had sports teams for members. They occasionally became involved in political issues that were of interest to their members. Others were purely financial, with little or no social side, from their foundation—this was more typical in Britain. The first
mutual savings bank, founded in
Scotland in 1810, was called the "Savings and Friendly Society".
Credit unions and other types of organization are modern equivalents.
Friendly society brasses were the emblems of village friendly societies or clubs common in the
west of England between the late 18th and early 20th centuries. The use of brasses as emblems was particularly prevalent in
Somerset and the surrounding counties. The
Museum of English Rural Life has a collection of over 900 Friendly Society Brasses aka poleheads. The design of the brasses was sometimes conventional or sometimes represented an interest of the club such as the inn in which the meetings were held. == Female friendly societies ==