Not so long ago, only banks and traditional insurance companies offered financial or insurance products, yet today it may often seem as if even the local corner shop is offering financial products. That's not quite true, of course, but many more companies do offer financial products than used to be the case, and it can sometimes be difficult to decide who is offering the best deal.

And, while Marks & Spencers once offered mostly fashion products, with the only hint of a credit card being when you paid for your shopping at the checkout, today you'll find as good a deal on M&S credit cards as you will with the latest range of M&S fashion.

In fact, these days Marks and Spenser, through its Marks & Spencer Money website, offer a range of financial products which would not look out of place in many banks, including M&S Motor Insurance, M&S House Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, savings products, M&S Credit Cards, M&S Loans, and much more besides.

There are lots of ways to save money using Marks & Spencer Money. Not least of these is Marks & Spencers Standard Motor Insurance. With Marks & Spencer Money you can keep the cost of your Motor Insurance down by choosing Standard cover, over Premier Cover. UK Vehicle can then be added to your policy as optional extras, if you wanted to.

If you're thinking of adding both Breakdown Cover and Motor Legal Protection, then it would cost less to upgrade to Premier Motor Insurance cover from Marks & Spencer Money, which also has other features.

Nonetheless, many features are standard to both the Premier and the Standard Motor Insurance policies on offer from Mark's & Spencer, and these include: Courtesy car (subject to availability); Loss, theft, damage and destruction of vehicle; Loss or damage to personal property in vehicle; Personal accident cover up to £10,000; Windscreen cover (£75 excess); a 24 hour claims service, and many other options as standard on each policy. In short, with Motor Insurance from M&S Money, you get more, and you pay less.

Marks & Spencer Money Insurance: There are, quite literally, hundreds of companies in the UK from whom you can purchase insurance. Whether you're looking for the best deal on Motor Insurance, buildings and contents insurance, or even wedding insurance, it doesn't take long to find a company that will sell you a policy.

However, not all insurance companies, and certainly not all insurance policies, are the same. What may be standard on one insurance policy may be an optional extra on another, for instance; Motor Insurance and House Insurance are especially like this.

For example, most home and contents insurance policies either ask you to provide the total cost of rebuilding your home plus the total value of your home contents, or they will set an upper limit. This may seem fine at the time, but, in the event of a claim on your House Insurance policy, the values act as maximum limits, and so you may, in effect, be under-insured and not receive the full value of your insurance claim.

Fortunately, Marks & Spencer Money Insurance does not have these insurance limits, excepting liability and cash cover, and therefore you can not be under-insured.

Hannah Montana A5 Academic Diary, at Marks and Spenser
1 diary (week to view) Disney

The Floral Collection Iris Soap, at Marks and Spencer
3 x 100g Iris scented Added moisturisers

Bride & Groom Embrace Wedding Card, at Marks&Spencer
Cover text: Blank Inside message: Wishing you happiness, laughter and love Approx size: 178 x 126mm

Autograph Veneto Dining Table & 4 Bonded Leather Dining Chairs Set, at Mark & Spencers
Glass dining table: H73 x D120cm Seats 4-6 people Toughened clear safety glass Chairs: H89 x W41 x D50cm Seat: H47cm 4 bonded leather chairs Free eco-friendly delivery to your home. Our crews will unpack, assemble and position the item This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Portfolio Longline Ombre Jacket, at Marks & Spencers
Part of Portfolio's C'est Chic trend, featuring a cosmopolitan palette of black, off white and neutral, this is a feminine and elegant look for the new season

Summer Living Striped Napkin Ring, at Marks and Spenser
Round shape Stripe design, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

2 Everyday Underwired Sheer Bras, at Marks n Spencer
Feminine and pretty, this pack of 2 underwired bras are great value. They're designed to give gentle support and a flattering fit

Per Una Essentials Clover Embroidered Shorts, at Marks & Spencer
Feminine and delicate, these stylish shorts are made from soft stretch lace. The low rise, low leg style gives a shapely figure-flattering fit. Pretty everyday fashion

Pure Evoke Mio DAB Radio, at Marks & Spensers
Frequency ranges: Band III 174-240 MHz, FM 87.5-108 MHz Timers: Sleep and kitchen timers Speaker: Full-range 3'' drive unit Audio power output: 7W RMS per channel Input connectors: 6V DC power adaptor socket (230V supplied). ChargePAK connector. 3.5mm Line-in for auxiliary devices. USB (B type) for product upgrades Output connectors: 3.5mm headphone, 3.5mm line out (analogue), 3.5mm auxiliary speaker connection Controls: 5 dedicated one-touch presets, 1 combined preset, source, timer, menu, standby and info LCD Display: Organic LED (OLED) display for superior contrast and improved readability Mains power supply: 230V AC to 6V DC external power adapter Battery power supply: Rechargeable ChargePAK E1 included. Provides up to 24 hours of portable DAB listening per charge Power consumption: In standby 0.9W (industry average 2.64W); in operation 2.48W (industry average 5.49W) Aerial: Captive telescopic aerial Intellitext: Browse stored scrolling text at your convenience Text scan: Pause and control scrolling text, giving you time to note down web addresses, competition phone numbers or song titles USB: Add new features as they become available via USB RDS: RDS support for station name display on FM and RDS scrolling text 30 presets: 30 presets (DAB or FM) Alarm: Easy to use tone or radio alarm Connection: Connect an iPod/MP3 player or portable CD Dimensions: H17.5 x W21 x D11cm M&S is a member of the WEEE Distributor Take Back Scheme. Recycling your electronic waste has never been easier! Click here for more information

Single Breasted 3 Button Crop Jacket, at Marks & Spencers
Update your look with this fashionable crop jacket. A contemporary style that will bring a fresh twist to smart and casual looks

Handwoven Ribbed Eyelet Curtains, at Marks and Spencer
Unlined Comes in standard 130cm/51in (STD) and wider 168cm/66in (WDR) widths Also comes in three drop lengths: short (137cm/54in), medium (183cm/72in), long (229cm/90in) How to measure for window dressings: Click here for a guide to measuring for curtains, pelmets and roman blinds., Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Piedmont Chardonnay 2008 - Case of 12, at Marks and Spencer
Style: Dry Grape variety: Chardonnay & Cortese Country of origin: Italy Closure: Screw cap Suitable for vegetarians Bottle: 12 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 12% vol. Alcohol units per bottle: 9 Alcohol units per 125ml: 1.5 Contains sulphites You must be 18 or over to purchase this product This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

2 Pairs Sheer Fishnet Knee High Tights, at Mark's & Spencer
Give those longer skirts, dresses and trousers a shimmering finish with the sleek design of these great knee highs. A reinforced toe and added stretch provide lasting comfort

Perfect Blue Harbour Pure Cotton Heritage Corduroy Trousers, at Marks and Spencer
Take it easy this autumn with soft fade, flat front cords in washed pure cotton. What weekends are made for

Handcrafted Tea Cups Mother's Day Card, at Marks & Spensers
Cover Text: Take it easy on Mother's Day! Inside Message: With lots of love Approx size: 178 x 126mm

3/4 Sleeve Ruched Jumper, at Marks & Spencer
Modern and stylish, this 3/4 sleeve jumper is a wardrobe essential

Blue Harbour Pure Cotton V-Neck Slipover, at Marks and Spencer
Soft and comfortable, this sleeveless v-neck slipover is made from pure cotton

Limited Collection Cat Print Top, at Marks and Spencer
Part of Limited Collection's London Crowd trend. A quintessentially English look featuring quirky prints in monochrome with bright pops of colour. Kitsch styling and playful designs give this trend a fun London feel

Dogtooth Print Flexilite Umbrella, at Mark's & Spencer
Brighten up rainy days with this stylish flexilite umbrella

Marina 300 Waterproof Two-Way Radios, at M & S
Waterproof up to 1 meter Dust proof and shock resistant Range up to 2 miles (3km) depending on environment and terrain Up to 8 channel combinations Backlit LCD Adjustable volume control Rechargeable Low battery warning Belt clip This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

Leather Lace Up Tramline Shoes, at Mark's & Spencer
Square toe Stitch detail Lace up Tramline design Block heel

Ingredients Cocoa Foaming Bath Essence, at Marks and Spencer
Cocoa fragrance 500ml

Collezione Exclusive Pure Wool Single Pleat Twill Trousers, at M+S
Italian style is renowned for its attention to detail. Each collezione piece is designed with that same passion, using the finest fabrics and best tailoring techniques. Inspired by Italian flair, we've lavished time and care on these trousers to give you a feeling of luxury like no other

Beaded Frill Front Top, at Marks n Spencer
Smart and stylish, this scoop neck top features beaded frill front

M&S 19'' HD Ready LCD TV with Built-in DVD Player - Red, at Marks and Spenser
HD Ready: This TV is able to display sharper, clearer and more vibrant High Definition images when connected to an HD compatible device Display:19 inch flat screen, 1440 x 900 pixels Contrast Ratio: 500:1, Dynamic Contrast 4000:1 Integrated Digital Tuner: Gives you access to all Freeview™ terrestrial digital TV channels and all digital radio stations (subject to coverage in your area) Dimensions: H41 x W46 x D20.5cm Sound: Nicam stereo Connectors1 x HDMI input, 1 x Scart socket DVD Player: Built-in M&S is a member of the WEEE Distributor Take Back Scheme. Recycling your electronic waste has never been easier! Click here for more information Please Note: To receive the full range of Freeview™ channels, customers should use an outdoor wide band aerial. Suitable portable TV aerials can be used to receive Freeview but the quality of the reception is dependent on the quality of the product and the signal area. Due to these factors you may not receive all Freeview channels when using an indoor aerial Please Note: Freeview™ is not yet available to the whole of the UK. We advise that you check that your postcode area can receive the Freeview signal before ordering this product Use wall mount T042100 to perfectly mount this TV This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

Classic Duckling Imprint Kit, at Marks and Spencer
Gift box, air-drying craft clay, 1 stand, pink and blue acrylic paint, paintbrush and instructions Box: H155 x W155 x D42mm

King Kong Blu-ray DVD, at Marks and Spencer
Rating Suitable for 12 years and over,

3 Pairs of Cotton Blend Plain Socks with Linen, at M&S
Soft and comfortable, these cotton blend socks are naturally breathable and absorbent, keeping feet dry and comfy. A reinforced heel and toe gives extra durability

3 Piece Cosmetic Bag Set, at Marks and Spencer
3 piece set Assorted sizes Transparent Contrast trim

Wine Gift Card, at Marks & Spencer
Credit card-sized Gift Card with presentation greetings card Can be redeemed in any of our UK stores and online Gift Cards can be topped up in stores to the maximum value of 500 Gift Cards are valid for 24 months after last use Frequently asked questions Click here to view frequently asked questions about our Gift Cards Click here for full Gift Card terms and conditions This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

Contrary to popular opinion, not every insurance company is out to get you, and it's not every insurance company that will disect the fine-print until they find some way of denying your insurance claim. However, you do need to shop around for the financial products and insurance policies that are the best suited for your individual needs.

That's why insurance policies, and other financial products, from Marks & Spencers are so useful. Marks & Spencer Money financial products are, of course, designed to make Marks & Spenser a profit, but there is no denying that they are also very good value for money, offering many features as standard which you'd often need to pay extra for at other insurance companies.

Take, for example, House Insurance policies. Usually, UK House Insurance policies have limits on particular types of items such as freezer contents, garden furniture and outdoor toys, outbuildings or cars, etc. These restrictions are called inner limits. However, the only inner limits on the Marks & Spencer Money House Insurance policy are £500 for cash; £2m for property-owners and personal liability; £10m for domestic employees liability and £40,000 for tenants liability. Even better is the fact that you're likely to pay no more for Marks & Spencer Money House Insurance than you will anywhere else, and you may even pay less with M&S.