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 & Spencers, 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 Car Insurance, M&S Household Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, savings products, M&S Credit Cards, M&S Loans, and much more besides.

Besides Mark & Spencers Car Insurance, Marks & Spencer Money Credit Cards and other financial products, Marks & Spencer Money Household Insurance deserves particular mention, with it being particularly good value for money, and providing extra insurance cover that many UK insurance companies either don't provide at all, or would charge extra for.

With Marks & Spencer Money Premier Contents policy, for example, student's belongings are not only covered at home, but also at college or university. Additionally, dependent relatives are also covered if their belongings happen to be in a nursing home. Even better still, your Marks and Spencer purchases are also protected while you take them home.

Also, on both Marks & Spencer Money Premier Household Insurance and Standard Household Insurance policies, you can choose to include Contents Away From Home. This option would then provide valuable cover all of your personal belongings on a worldwide basis.

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 Mark's & Spencer 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, Household Insurance policies. Usually, UK Household 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 Household 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 Household Insurance than you will anywhere else, and you may even pay less with M&S.

5 Luxury Check Handkerchiefs, at M+S
Luxuriously soft handkerchiefs in pure cotton

Pure Cotton Front Frill Stripe Top, at Marks & Spensers
Smart and stylish, this front frill top is made from cool comfortable cotton and features a stripe design

M&S Corded Phone with Large Phonebook & Answering Machine, at Marks&Spencer
Extra large 3 line display 120 name and number phonebook Digital answering machine - Up to 20 minutes digital recording time with remote access Hands-free speakerphone Caller display stores information on the last 99 calls Last number redial Adjustable speakerphone and ringer volume Wall mountable 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

Autograph Essentials Wool Rich Single Button Jacket, at Marks and Spencer
Luxurious and elegant, this smartly tailored wool rich single breasted jacket is part of our exclusive Autograph range

2 Classic Underwired Bra, at Marks and Spencer
Soft and comfortable Feminine and prettY Smooth and versatile, this pack of 2 underwired bras are great value. They're designed to give gentle support and a flattering fit

The Floral Collection Magnolia Candles with Ceramic Dish, at Marks and Spencer
Pack of 3 Includes: 2 candles and 1 ceramic dish Fragranced candles Flower shaped Up to 12 hours burn time

Winnie The Pooh Meets Tigger Book, at Marks & Spencers
Chunky pages Disney, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

5 Pairs of Long Pelerine Socks, at Marks and Spenser
With enough pairs for everyday of the school week, start the school term in comfy style with the soft fabric and easy to care for design of these great value pelerine socks

Lightweight Pure Silk Large Giraffe Print Scarf, at Marks & Spensers
This sophisticated lightweight scarf is the perfect accessory to this season's fashions. The giraffe style pattern and contrast edge design add a stylish finishing touch

Autograph Slate Place Mat, at Marks & Spencers
Square design H x 30cm W x 21cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Classic Duckling Large Gift Bag, at Mark's & Spencer
1 gift bag Approx size: H310 x W360 x D150 mm

5 Assorted Butterfly Hair Bands, at Marks & Spensers
Tie back those tresses in style with these pretty butterfly hair bands

Autograph Leather Buckled Monk Shoes, at Mark's & Spencer
Square toe Punched hole detail Buckle fastening Stitch detail Block heel

Double Twisted Stick Drop Earrings, at Marks & Spencer
Hook fastening Twisted design For hygiene reasons, refunds will only be given in accordance with your legal rights

Sprung-Edge Divan with 4 Large Drawers & Autograph F500 Latex Pillowtop Mattress - Medium, at Marks and Spencers
Single mattress (3ft): W90 x L190cm Double mattress (4ft 6in): W135 x L190cm King size mattress (5ft): W150 x L200cm Super king size mattress (6ft): W180 x L200cm Single divan (3ft): W90 x L190cm Double divan (4ft 6in): W135 x L190cm King size divan (5ft): W150 x L200cm Super king size divan (6ft): W180 x L200cm Mattress depth: 29cm Divan height: H41cm Large drawers: H14 x W78 x D52cm Highly responsive pocketed springs Mattress features deep pillowtop layer of Talalay latex and luxurious white fibre Mattress also features two further layers of cotton and resilient white fibre for additional support Double row of hand side-stitching to add support to the edges Mattress spring count: 1225 All mattresses and divans are anti-allergy protected Mattress does not require turning All mattresses and divans are manufactured in the UK A sample mattress is subjected to 3 rigorous tests to ensure it remains comfortable. Surface fabric is rubbed 15,000 times against a hard surface to test resistance to wear. Mattress is pounded by a machine 80,000 times to replicate the movements of a human torso and subjected to 20,000 rolls of a roller machine to simulate the rolling motion of a sleeping person Free eco-friendly home delivery. Our crews will unpack, assemble and position the item This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Autograph Weekend Cotton Rich Crop Denim Jacket, at Marks & Spencer
Part of Autograph Weekend's Sloane trend. Casual yet sophisticated, this is weekend dressing at its most stylish. Featuring a cool colour palette of crisp navy, neutrals and red, this is an effortlessly chic look for the new season

Floral Necklace & Hair Clip Set, at MarksandSpencer
Set of 3 Necklace with adjustable clasp fastening 2 hair clips Floral design Necklace length: 40cm, extendable by 5cm

Pure Wool 2 Button Single Breasted Jacket, at Marks & Spensers
Don't sacrifice style for comfort this summer. This Pure Wool jacket is specially designed for the warmer months. It's made with a lighter weight fabric, has a softer feel and it features an antibacterial body lining to help keep you feeling fresh

Pure Cotton Long Sleeve Future Hunk Top, at M&S
Smart and modern, this long sleeve t-shirt in soft cotton features a fun slogan and motif. A practical easycare style

Pure Woven Silk Stripe Tie, at Mark's & Spencer
Add a luxurious finishing touch with this smart stripe tie in pure silk

Classic Collection Pure Cotton Stripe Insert Top, at Marks & Spencer
Modern and stylish, this versatile top is made from soft easycare fabric and features a stripe design. A fashionable style with a comfortable, flattering fit

Cotton Rich Lace Detailed Full Slip, at Marks & Spencers
A practical fashion essential you can't do without! This cling resistant slip comes in a variety of lengths. It's a must-have for enhancing the look of your dresses, particularly those that look see-through under light

Limited Stripe Hat Scarf and Glove Set, at Marks and Spencers
Fashionable and colourful, this hat, scarf and glove set is perfect for chilly days

Set of 3 Wooden Hair Brushes, at M&S
Wooden handle Rounded pins FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not for profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world's forests FSC Trademark FSC Forest Stewardship Council, A.C. All rights reserved

Older Girls' Butterfly Foil Swimsuit, at Marks & Spencer
Great for splashing around in, this comfortable swimsuit features a stunning butterfly print

Silver Foil Spot Tissue Pack, at Marks & Spencer
Pack of 3 Metallic effect 2 sheets spotty tissue, 1 sheet plain silver tissue 700 x 500mm

Pure Cotton Ribbed Stripe Mitts, at Mark's & Spencer
Hanging loop Stripe design Ribbed, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Autograph Pure Cotton Oxford Pinpoint Shirt, at Mark & 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

Ascensio Hard Small Rollercase, at M&S
Built for durable practicality, this small rollercase features a robust ABS outer shell and locking trolley system to ensure your belongings are safely secure and easy to transport

Blue Harbour Pure Cotton Chino Shorts, at Marks and Spencer
Think smart on those warmer days and nights with the design of these great value shorts. Pair with sandals and a T-shirt or team with a short sleeve shirt and boat shoes for a dressier casual look

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 Car 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; Car Insurance and Household 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 Household 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.