mutual benefit society

     You may hear someone use the phrase "mutual benefit society" as if that were a bad thing. A "mutual benefit society", 200 years ago or thereabouts, was a type of life and accident insurance. Everyone who belonged to the society paid dues. Any member who was killed would be buried with funds from the society. Some of these were called "burial societies". Some societies had provisions  for a permanently disabled member to  collect a disability benefit.  Today your employer probably pays the premiums or "dues" for your insurance, as part of your wages or salary.