When you're shopping at Marks and Spencers online store for your summer outfit, or looking for furniture to give your home a makeover, then spend a moment to also consider products from M&S Money Direct. Offering everything from savings accounts and credit cards, to Buildings Insurance and Motor Insurance, there's a lot more going on at Marks & Spensers than you might imagine.

In particular, if you're thinking of travelling soon, then consider Travel Insurance from M&S Money Direct. With images of volcano ash still fresh in many traveller's minds, it's good to remember there were many travellers who ended up wishing they had spent just a few pounds extra to obtain travel insurance for their trip. Of course, unfortunately, after the event is too late!

In fact, had you purchased travel insurance from M&S Money Direct, you would have been in good hands; within just a short time of the volcanic ash disruptions, visitors to the M&S Money Direct website would have seen a message stating that although claims relating to volcanic eruptions are not normally covered by travel insurance, that on this particular occasion, they would "allow claims from UK customers affected by the volcanic ash that has recently grounded flights."

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 Spenser 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 & Spencers, 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 Motor Insurance, M&S Buildings Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, savings products, M&S Credit Cards, M&S Loans, and much more besides.

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 Motor Insurance, M&S Buildings 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 and Spencers, 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.

Wax Shoe Polish, at Marks & Spencers
This traditional wax polish increases water resistance and protects and nourishes leather

Chrome Collection Glass Shelf, at Marks & Spensers
Toughened safety-glass shelf Chrome finish posts H2.8 x W50 x D10cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

2 Malbec Dark Brown Bonded Leather & Chrome Dining Chairs, at M+S
H86 x W48 x D51cm Seat: H49cm Sold as pair Bonded leather seat Chrome effect legs Some self-assembly required. Delivered boxed to your door. You will need to unpack, assemble and position the item yourself This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Fuji FinePix Z30 Digital Camera, at Marks and Spencer
Pixels: 10.0 megapixels Zoom: 3x optical zoom, 5.7x digital zoom Screen: 3.0" TFT LCD Display ISO: Auto / Equivalent to ISO 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 (Standard Output Sensitivity) Dimensions: W9.2 x H5.79 x D2.26cm (excluding accessories and attachments) Weight: Approx. 116.5g (excluding accessories, battery and memory card) Face Detection: Face Detection technology with automatic red-eye removal Movie recording: 640 x 480 pixels, 320 x 240 pixels, 30 frames/sec. With monaural sound Power source: Rechargeable NP-45 Li-ion battery (included) Self-timer: Approx. 10sec. / 2sec. delay

Indian Summer Collection - Floral Hurricane Lamp, at M+S
W17 x D17 x H22.5cm Frosted baroque design Comes with candle and sand Hand decorated Burning time: Approx 65 hours, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

British Heritage Grain Lace Up Gibson Shoes, at Marks & Spensers
Lace up 4 eyelets Round toe Shallow block heel Inspired by traditional design Goodyear welted sole Full leather lining Crafted from premium calf leathers Made by hand in the UK

Graphic Leaf Print Bedset, at Marks and Spencer
Single set includes single duvet cover (3ft) and 1 pillowcase Double set includes double duvet cover (4ft 6in) and 2 pillowcases King size includes king size duvet cover (5ft) and 2 pillowcases, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Contemporary Watercolour Flowers Multipack of Mini Cards, at Marks and Spencer
Cover text: All cards are blank Inside message: blank for your own message 8 cards, 4 designs Approx size: 95 x 80mm

Lipgloss Wand, at Marks & Spenser
Comes in a variety of colours Approx 6ml

Classic Underwired Built-Up Shoulder Bra, at Marks and Spencer
A lovely addition to your day to day underwear drawer. This versatile bra combines the shaping and support of underwiring and adjustable straps with the convenient comfort of an easy to care for design

Cotton Rich Plain V-Neck T-Shirt, at Marks and Spencer
This longer length short sleeved t-shirt will make a useful addition to your wardrobe. It features a flattering v-neck for a stylish casual look

Black Flock Son 18th Birthday Card, at MarksandSpencer
Cover text: Happy 18th birthday son Inside message: Wishing you a great day This card is made with material from FSC certified sustainable forests. Protecting the world's forests for the future 175 x 126mm

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

Collezione Stitch Detail Leather Shoes, at M&S
Luxurious and contemporary, these leather shoes are part of Collezione, inspired by Italian style. Their superior design, quality and hand finishing make them a sophisticated and fashionable choice

Adored Comfort Pansy Lace Shorts, at Marks & Spencer
Delicate and pretty, these briefs are made from the softest fabric and trims, so they feel blissfully comfortable to wear. The modern shorts style gives a flattering shapely fit. Feminine everyday lingerie

Casa Leona Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - Case of 12, at M&S
Style: Dry Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc Country of origin: Chile Closure: Synthetic closure Suitable for vegetarians Bottle: 12 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 13.5% vol. Alcohol units per bottle: 10.1 Alcohol units per 125ml: 1.7 Contains sulphites You must be 18 or over to purchase this product This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

Floral Polka Dot Large Wedding Album, at Marks & Spencers
Album and gift box 500 glue dots 700Mb CD-R Album: H290 x W290 x D45mm Box: H295 x W295 x D55mm

Per Una Styled Modal Rich Floral Padded Bra, at Marks & Spenser
Fresh and feminine, this feminine bra is made from a soft comfortable modal rich fabric. Soft padding and underwiring give support and an enhanced natural shape. Pretty everyday fashion

Etched Mirror Photo Frame (3.5 x 5"), at M & S
Rectangular shape Etched flower design Aperture: 3.5" x 5", Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Autograph Essentials Modal Rich Slash Neck Top, at M & S
Sophisticated and modern, this slash neck top is beautifully designed and cut for the best in contemporary style. It's made from stretch modal, a supersoft fabric which feels exceptionally comfortable to wear

Mamma Mia! Blu-ray DVD, at Mark's & Spencer
Rating Parental Guidance,

North Coast Pure Cotton Flat Front Jeans, at Marks & Spensers
Stylish and comfortable, these straight leg jeans give a regular fit through the hip and thigh

Stormwear™ Leather Apron Lace Up Trainers, at Marks&Spencer
Stormwear™ technology repels water and stains Square toe Lace-up Apron stitch detail Grip sole Waterproof leather All upper seams treated with flexible sealant Expanding breathable and waterproof sole Any upper mesh or fabric material is laminated with a waterproof breathable membrane

3 Pairs of 15 Denier Ladder Resist Sheer Knee Highs, at Marks & Spensers
An M&S exclusive. Amazing yarn stops holes turning into ladders. Three way stretch gives a perfect fit. The comfort top is designed to keep them in place without leaving marks

Herringbone Printed Bedset, at Mark & Spencers
Herringbone print Single set includes single duvet cover (3ft) and 1 pillowcase Double set includes double duvet cover (4ft 6in)and 2 pillowcases King size includes king size duvet cover (5ft) and 2 pillowcases, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

In The Night Garden Character Puzzle, at Marks and Spencer
Suitable for ages 12 months to 3 years 20 pieces TM & Ragdoll Worldwide Limited 2007. Licensed by BBC Worldwide Limited This product conforms to EN71 and the Toy Safety Directive, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Cotton Rich Skinny Jeans, at Marks & Spencer
Casual and comfortable, these easycare jeans make a fashionable and practical choice

Autograph Pure Cotton Fine Stripe Shirt, at Marks & Spensers
This luxurious shirt is part of our exclusive Autograph collection. Its fine quality and careful attention to detail make it a superior and stylish modern classic

2" Longer Autograph Pure Cotton Plain Poplin Shirt, at Marks and Spencer
Keeping the taller man specifically in mind, this smart shirt features an extra 2" of fabric in the sleeve and body to provide a perfect formal fit

Oval Shell Button Earrings, at Marks & Spensers
Hook fastening Twin shell button design Drop style For hygiene reasons, refunds will only be given in accordance with your legal rights

M&S Money Direct 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 Buildings 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 Buildings 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, M&S Money Direct Insurance does not have these insurance limits, excepting liability and cash cover, and therefore you can not be under-insured.