History
NFU Mutual was formed in 1910 by 7 local farmers as the Midlands Farmers Mutual Insurance Society Ltd., with working capital of just £190. It was formed to provide an inducement for farmers to join the NFU, which had been formed 2 years earlier. The provision of cheap insurance cover for NFU members contributed to the early growth of the NFU and NFU Mutual. Life insurance cover was introduced during the 1920s.
Although originally providing insurance only for members of the National Farmers Union, the mutual diversified outside of the farming industry during the 1980s. Over half of the policies by number now originate outside of the farming community.
NFU Mutual currently trades within only the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. From 1948 to 1966, it offered insurance in Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe), Kenya and Tanganyika (now in Tanzania). In 1954 the NFU Mutual orchestrated the building of the new skyscraper, Farmer's Mutual House, in Harare.
Famous policyholders include David Lloyd George, Aneurin Bevan and Anthony Eden.
The mutual celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2010 and has planned a number of events to commemorate the occasion. On 4 January 2010, the mutual unveiled an internal DVD, featuring senior management performing a cover version of the Peter Kay version of the Tony Christie song Is This the Way to Amarillo. This publicised a company wide talent competition, "NFU Mutual's Got Talent", copying the format of Britain's Got Talent. Also announced were a new book on the history of the mutual and a dinner for all members of staff.
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Famous quotes containing the word history:
“[Men say:] “Don’t you know that we are your natural protectors?” But what is a woman afraid of on a lonely road after dark? The bears and wolves are all gone; there is nothing to be afraid of now but our natural protectors.”
—Frances A. Griffin, U.S. suffragist. As quoted in History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 4, ch. 19, by Susan B. Anthony and Ida Husted Harper (1902)
“In history the great moment is, when the savage is just ceasing to be a savage, with all his hairy Pelasgic strength directed on his opening sense of beauty;—and you have Pericles and Phidias,—and not yet passed over into the Corinthian civility. Everything good in nature and in the world is in that moment of transition, when the swarthy juices still flow plentifully from nature, but their astrigency or acridity is got out by ethics and humanity.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“We are told that men protect us; that they are generous, even chivalric in their protection. Gentlemen, if your protectors were women, and they took all your property and your children, and paid you half as much for your work, though as well or better done than your own, would you think much of the chivalry which permitted you to sit in street-cars and picked up your pocket- handkerchief?”
—Mary B. Clay, U.S. suffragist. As quoted in History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 4, ch. 3, by Susan B. Anthony and Ida Husted Harper (1902)