Change is not something new to Police Mutual. Almost exactly 100 years ago, in June 1920 at a meeting (the equivalent of the Annual Conference and AGM) of the Police Mutual Assurance Association it was concluded that major alterations were necessary if the concept of a Police Mutual Assurance Society was to survive. With the terrible experience of the war followed by the Spanish flu, of which there were 54 Police Mutual victims, PMAA had a deficit of £336. 16s. 51/2d. and £2000 invested bringing in a modest amount of interest.  To help the situation, death payouts were reduced by 5% to cover expenses and it was recorded as a fraught and worrying period.

At that meeting in June 1920, the sad death of long serving President Mr Stretten (formerly Deputy Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire) was also recorded. Mr Stretten had been a member at the first meeting of the PMAA in Windsor Police station in August 1866 and had a total of 52 years’ service with the PMAA and was known as The Father of the Association.  With the financial position as it was, the Members of the Committee were asked to consider radical changes which involved approaching the Home Secretary to seek support and funding for a new scheme of insurance (supported by an actuary Mr Laing).

Needless to say, the scheme was supported and the Home Office provided funding. The Home Secretary also suggested that the new society be registered as a Friendly Society and that its management expenses should not exceed 5% of income.

Mr Pinkerton then led the task of reconstructing the old Police Mutual Assurance Association to form a new society.  Mr Pinkerton accepted that there would be differences of opinion but said that if the new society commended itself to the Police Forces of Britain, then members of the old one would continue their membership within the new. The old PMAA would continue in name until the new Society had been established. It was noted there was much sadness at its impending end as the final annual report was heard at its last meeting, a decision that gave birth to the new Police Mutual Assurance Society of today. 

So I think we find ourselves in a similar place, looking at the rebirth of the concept of a Police Mutual Assurance Society and commending it to the Police Forces of Britain as part of a larger, stronger Mutual in the form of Royal London.