Abstract: This article is devoted to the analysis of the historical scientific-practical experience of mutual insurance in pre-revolution Russia and during the USSR era. Based on the study of a substantial amount of historical and modern publications it is demonstrated that the mutual (non-commercial) insurance was widely used in the Russian Empire. The main objective of this work and its scientific-educational value lies in the increase of knowledge and informing of the broad reader base on the history of mutual insurance as a relevant financial instrument of risk protection. The article demonstrates the role and significance of the mutual insurance in Russia, including its industry application. The authors come to the conclusion that this experience can be successfully applied even today, if supported by the scientific community with regards to informing a broad spectrum of interested parties, development and proliferation of scientific-theoretical and scientific-practical materials dedicated to mutual insurance.