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 MarksandSpencer are so useful. M&S Money Direct financial products are, of course, designed to make Marks & Spensers 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, Home Insurance policies. Usually, UK Home 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 M&S Money Direct Home 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 M&S Money Direct Home Insurance than you will anywhere else, and you may even pay less with M&S.

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 and Spencer 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 Spencer, through its M&S Money Direct website, offer a range of financial products which would not look out of place in many banks, including M&S Car Insurance, M&S Home 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 M&S Money Direct. Not least of these is Mark & Spensers Standard Car Insurance. With M&S Money Direct you can keep the cost of your Car 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 Car Insurance cover from M&S Money Direct, which also has other features.

Nonetheless, many features are standard to both the Premier and the Standard Car 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 Car Insurance from M&S Financial Services, you get more, and you pay less.

Big & Tall Crease Resistant Houndstooth Trousers, at Marks and Spencer
Stay smarter for longer with these innovative crease resistant trousers. Perfectly proportioned for big and tall men

Autograph Essentials Rose Embroidered High Leg Knickers, at M&S
Stunningly stylish these flattering briefs feature a feminine embroidered rose design. The modern low rise, high leg styling gives a flattering shapely fit. Beautiful exclusive lingerie

Bright Analogue Watch, at Marks&Spencer
Buckle fastening Round face Analogue

Exotica Print Hipster Bikini Briefs, at Marks & Spencers
Sophisticated and elegant, these fashionable bikini briefs features a striking exotic print. A fabulous fashionable look

Pin Dot Underwired Padded Multiway Bra, at Marks and Spencer
Smooth and versatile, this pin dot bra is ideal for everyday wear. Underwiring and padding give an uplifted and enhanced natural shape

Mirrored Floor Cabinet, at Mark's & Spencer
H88 x W40 x D36cm With 1 shelf Mirrored glass finish with clear knobs All joints are glued and pressed together in the factory, giving more inherent strength than flat pack fittings Free eco-friendly delivery to your home. Our crews will unpack, assemble and position the item Care & Cleaning - Wipe with a soft clean cloth and use a mild furniture cleaner or polish occasionally. Be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions, and be aware that polishes can add sheen This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more SAVE ON SETS Save at least 30% when you buy this floor cabinet as part of a set. Click here to view the Mirrored Collection Set. , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Ceriso Silk Blend Spot Print Padded Bra, at Marks & Spenser
Flirty and fashionable, this glamorous bra is made from silk mix fabric with a spot print, finished with a lace trim. It's underwired for extra support and the padded plunge style gives a fabulous enhanced cleavage. Designed for women who want the latest look

Ceriso Spot Print Padded Balcony Bra, at Marks & Spencer
Feminine and fashionable, this modern bra features a spot print and is finished with a frill trim. Soft padding and underwiring give great support and a fabulous flattering shape. Designed for women who want the latest look

New 32GB Apple iPod touch, at Marks and Spencers
Holds up to 7,000 songs, 25,000 iPod-viewable photos, and 40 hours of video or some of each Genius feature finds the songs in your library that go great together and makes a Genius playlist for you Accelerometer - detects when you rotate it from portrait to landscape, then automatically changes the contents of the display 3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display. 480-by-320-pixel resolution at 163 pixels per inch Ambient light sensor Built-in volume controls and speaker - Volume buttons built into the left side give you easy access to the most frequently used controls Built-in Wi-Fi - Surf the web and view your email Cover Flow - flip through your album art Play games with stunning 3D graphics. Tilt, move, and play accelerometer-inspired games. Use Multi-Touch to give you precise, fingertip control over game elements. (games available separately) Contoured stainless steel design Built-in speaker - lets you hear the music, dialogue, and action without headphones, perfect for casual listening Nike + iPod support - Slip the Nike + iPod Sensor (available separately) into your Nike+ shoe and start your run. The sensor communicates wirelessly with your iPod touch, tracking your time, distance, and calories burned. It even gives you voice feedback on your progress. Works with new cardio equipment available in many fitness centres Dimensions: H11 x W6.2 x D0.8cm Weight: 115 grams For Mac and Windows. Requires Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional or Mac OS X v10.4.11 or later Built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery capable of up to 36 hours of audio playback or 6 hours of video playback In the box: iPod touch, Polishing cloth, earphones, USB 2.0 cable, dock adaptor, Quick Start guide TM and 2008 Apple Inc. All rights reserved 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 This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

5 °Climate Control Cotton Rich Plain Slips, at M & S
Climate control keeps you cool when you're hot and warms you up when you're cold so you're always at your optimum temperature. Exclusive to M&S, Climate control clothing is comfortable and breathable - ideal for sportswear. The Outlast technology behind this innovative fabric was originally developed for astronauts and is recognised by NASA as Certified Space Technology

Happy Birthday Cake Stand Gift Card, at Marks and Spencer
Can be redeemed in any of our UK stores and online Credit card-sized Gift Card with presentation greetings card 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

Collezione Twin Toe Cap Shoes, at Mark & Spensers
Square toe Gusset toe cap stitch Lace-up Block heel

Pure Cotton Short Sleeve T-Shirt, at Mark's & Spencer
Smart and stylish, this short sleeve t-shirt is made from cool comfortable cotton and features a front zip detail

Pure Duck Down 10.5 Tog Duvet, at MarksandSpencer
10.5 tog Ideal for Spring and Autumn use, or all round use in homes with central heating 230 thread count and 100% cotton downproof cover Light and natural filling Made using multi-pocket construction. Each box is individually filled to make sure the filling is evenly distributed, which keeps you warm and cosy all night long Highest quality class 1 duck feather down Pure duck down Which tog? Tog measures the warmth of a duvet based on its ability to trap warm air. The higher the tog rating, the warmer the duvet. The perfect tog is a personal choice which can depend upon you and your home, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Apple Tree Retirement Card, at Marks and Spencers
Cover text: On your Retirement Inside message: Enjoy the fruits of your labour Approx size: Unfolded: 174 x 126mm

Per Una Spot Print Dressing Gown, at MarksandSpencer
Modern and feminine, this pretty spot print dressing gown is made from soft fabric so you can relax in comfort and style. Part of Per Una's sleepwear collection

5 Cotton Rich Heart Print Bikini Knickers, at Mark & Spensers
These heart print cotton rich bikini knickers are perfect for everyday wear. Added stretch gives a comfortable fit and shape retention

50 Golf Tees In A Pouch, at Marks & Spensers
50 golf tees in a drawstring bag. Complete with karabiner clip, the pouch can be attached to any golf bag for convenience of use during a round

Younger Girls' Apple Motif Slippers, at Mark's & Spencer
Round toe Slip on Apple motif Flat sole

3 Thermal Briefs, at Marks & Spenser
A great value set of comfortable and pretty briefs which are sure to keep her warm thanks to their insulating properties

Per Una Tencel® Zingy Trousers, at M & S
A fashionable straight leg pair of trousers in pure tencel with an on the waist design and side pockets

Royal Jelly & Pure Honey Anti-Ageing Hand & Nail Cream, at Marks and Spencer
Formulated to prevent age spots 150ml

Silver Plated Abalone Pendant Necklace, at Marks & Spencers
Lobster clasp fastening Adjustable length Abalone pendant Necklace length 40cm, extendable by 7.5cm

Silver Plated Abalone Cube Earrings, at M & S
Hook fastening Drop style Abalone design For hygiene reasons, refunds will only be given in accordance with your legal rights

2 Easycare Long Sleeve Striped Shirts, at M & S
Smart and stylish, this pack of 2 long sleeve easycare shirts is great value. An ideal choice for everyday wear

Handcrafted Photographic Kitten Mother's Day Card, at M & S
Cover text: To a very special mum ...with love on mother's day Inside message: Blank for your own message Approx size: Unfolded: 150 x 150mm

Clear Mantlepiece Clock, at Marks and Spencer
Clear body Brass effect finish Dimensions: L12 x W12cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Footglove Leather Toe Post Mules, at MarksandSpencer
Open toe Stitch design Buckle feature Notched

Cotton Rich Straight Leg Jeans, at M & S
Simple and stylish, straight leg jeans are a modern classic. This pair sits below the waist and are cut to give a sleek flattering shape that's always in style. Added stretch gives the perfect fit.

Classic Collection Floral Embroidered Ballet Slippers, at Marks & Spencers
Relax in style in these comfortable, hardwearing ballet slippers featuring floral embroidered design. Machine washable for added convenience

Shopping for financial products at M&S Money Direct UK website is just as simple as shopping for fashion or furniture at the Marks and Spencer online store. Here are just some of the financial products which can be purchased via the M&S Money Direct website:

• M&S Insurance: M&S Car Insurance, M&S Home Insurance, M&S Life Insurance, M&S Wedding Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance
• M&S Credit Cards: M&S Credit Card, M&S Premium Club Card
• M&S Loans: M&S Car Buying Plan, M&S Personal Loans
• M&S Money: M&S Travel Money for your trips abroad
• M&S Savings: M&S Everyday Savings Account, M&S Fixed Rate Savings, M&S Stocks & Shares ISA, M&S Cash ISA, M&S Unit Trust

Of course, many of these types of product can be purchased elsewhere too; however, once you begin to take a closer look at the products from Marks n Spencer, it's easy to see that these are good financial products, at value-for-money prices.

And, just as importantly, contacting M&S Money Direct in the event of a query, or an insurance claim, is as easy as picking up the phone, or visiting the M&S Money Direct website.