 
The Federació de Mutualitats de Catalunya was set up on 15 April 1896 under the name of "Unión y Defensa de montepíos de la provincia de Barcelona y sus afueras". The Federation has remained faithful to the founding spirit of this organisation: the representation and promotion of social welfare provision. 
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| Royal Order of 1839. Expressed the will
to foster existing mutual societies and promote the creation of others. Royal Order of 1853. Prohibited the setting up of "mutual insurance" societies without prior authorisation from, and inspection by, the government. Associations Act 1887. Classified mutual societies and mutual organisations as a form of association. 1900. First forerunner of the Public Social Security System in Spain with the passing of the Accidents at Work Act. From 1913 to 1923. Several attempts were made to set up a Catalan security, work and savings foundation, but the coup by General Primo de Rivera put paid to all hopes on this score. 1918. The Federation changed its name to "Federación de Sociedades de Socorros Mutuos de la Provincia de Barcelona". 1919. First compulsory social insurance scheme. Only covered the contingency of old age for employed workers. 1931 Constitution and the Autonomy Statute. Recognised Catalonia's exclusive powers and responsibility in regard to mutual societies. 1934 Catalan Act. Established the bases for co-operatives, mutual societies and farmer's unions. Dedicated a specific chapter to the Federation. 1935. The Federation spread to the whole of Catalonia and became known as the "Federación de Sociedades y Socorros Mutuos de Cataluña". When the Mutual Societies of Catalonia Act was passed, it changed its name to "Federació de Mutualitats de Catalunya". July 1936. The military uprising caused a profound institutional crisis. The Catalan mutual societies had great difficulties in coping with the upheavals of the Civil war. Following the war, the Federation adapted to the new political regime and adopted the name of "Institución Sindical de Mutualidades". 1941. First law on mutual societies covering the whole of Spain. 1942. First public sickness benefit insurance scheme. Did not cover self-employed workers. 1979. The Statute of Autonomy gave the Generalitat de Catalunya exclusive powers over mutual societies outside the Social Security system within the bounds of mercantile law. Law 33/1984. This Private Insurance Act included mutual societies among insurance organisations for the first time. 1989. The Spanish Constitutional Court delimited the scope of the Catalan government's powers in regard to mutual societies, restricting its exclusive powers essentially to regulating these organisations' social regimes. Law 28/1991. This Mutual Societies Act from the Parliament of Catalonia, passed giving exclusive powers to the Generalitat (Autonomus Government), gave a boost to Catalan Mutual Societies. Law 30/1995. The Private Insurance Regulation and Supervision Act introduced three new features. It made membership of mutual societies voluntary, recognised mutual societies as the only alternative to the Special Regime for Self-employed Workers and instituted a tax discount scheme based on taxable personal income. Law 10/2003. This Mutual Societies Act replaces the 1991 Act. It introduces significant changes regarding the functioning of the organisations and improvements in operational mechanisms. |
