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 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 & Spencers, through its M&S Financial Services website, offer a range of financial products which would not look out of place in many banks, including M&S Car Insurance, M&S Property Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, savings products, M&S Credit Cards, M&S Loans, and much more besides.

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 and Spencers are so useful. M&S Financial Services financial products are, of course, designed to make Marks and Spencers 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, Property Insurance policies. Usually, UK Property 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 Financial Services Property 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 Financial Services Property Insurance than you will anywhere else, and you may even pay less with M&S.

Marks & Spencer may not necessarily be the first name that springs to mind when you're thinking about renewing your Property Insurance or Car Insurance, but Mark's & Spencer do indeed offer a comprehensive selection of financial products, all of which are competitively priced, and all of which you can purchase directly from the M&S Financial Services website. With a simple, no-hassle service, you can compare features between a number of M&S Finance products and competitor's products, and sign up in just a few minutes.

Whether you're looking for savings products or M&S Financial Services loans, credit cards or Property Insurance - besides a number of other insurance products, M&S Financial Services can save you both time and money, with comprehensive information available at a click.

Free insurance quotes are available online for all of M&S Financial Services insurance products (Property Insurance, Car Insurance, Travel Insurance, Wedding Insurance and Pet Insurance), or you may call if you wish to on the telephone number provided. Suffice to say that there is also plenty of information which you can download for each of the Marks & Spencers insurance products in document format too.

Collezione Luxury Wool Blend 2 Button Jacket with Silk, at Marks & Spencers
Italian tailoring is renowned for its sophisticated style. Each collezione suit is designed with that same passion, using the finest fabrics and best tailoring techniques

Woodland Owl Cot Mirror, at Marks and Spencer
Suitable from birth Interactive cot owl Includes a mirror tummy, squeaker and crinkly wings Double lined for safety, the stuffing in this product is incorporated in an extra layer This product conforms to EN71 and the Toy Safety Directive H27 x W28cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Autograph Weekend Water Repellent Long Sleeve Parka, at Marks & Spencer
Modern and stylish, this funnel neck parka features water repellent finish. A contemporary style in superior fabric, it will instantly update your wardrobe

Watercolour Floral Multipack of Easter Cards, at Mark & Spencers
Cover text: design 1: Happy Easter, design 2: Easter Wishes Inside message: All designs, blank for your own message 6 cards, 2 designs Approx size: 145 x 70mm

1 Pair of Cotton Rich Footsies, at Marks & Spenser
These soft cotton rich footsies are designed to hide inside your shoes for extra comfort

Traditional Bamboo Handle Umbrella, at Marks & Spencers
A traditional men's umbrella with a traditional bamboo handle for those who want some luxury in their life, it has gilt metal trim on the ferrule and bottom of the handle, suitable for everyday use

Global Traveller Medium Rollercase, at Marks & Spencers
Free 5 year guarantee Make transporting your belongings a hassle-free experience with the super lightweight and durable design of this hardwearing rollercase

Linen Blend Short Sleeve Stripe Shirt, at Marks & Spenser
Chic and modern, this short sleeve shirt is made from a cool crisp linen blend and features stripe design

Per Una Roma Cotton Rich Bootleg Jeans with Belt, at Mark's & Spencer
A fashionable pair of bootleg jeans in stretch cotton featuring an antique finish buckle belt

Scruffy Dog Record Your Own Message Valentine Card, at Marks & Spenser
Cover text: Valentine Love you lots xxx Inside message: Happy Valentine's Day xxx Approx size: Unfolded: 220 x 220mm

Blue Harbour Short Sleeve Ultimate Bold Stripe Shirt, at Mark's & Spencer
Relaxed and stylish, this bold stripe shirt is cut for a great fit. It's made from pure linen so it feels cool and comfortable to wear

Limited Collection Spot Print Lace Trim Bra, at MarksandSpencer
Fun and fabulous, this cotton blend t-shirt bra is part of our Limited Collection lingerie. It's perfectly smooth so you won't get any visible lumps and bumps under your clothes. For a funky look, mix and match with coordinating lingerie from Limited. Casual, contemporary fashion

Dine In Whites - Case of 12, at Marks and Spencer
4 Domaine Mandeville Sauvignon Blanc 2007: A fruity Sauvignon Blanc from the South of France, with juicy citrus and gooseberry flavours, finishing on a fresh, crisp note... 4 Ctes du Rhne Blanc 2008: With its appealing aromas of honeysuckle and baked pears, this soft and gently spicy white is classic Ctes du Rhne at a fantastically affordable price... 4 Macon Villages 2007: A fresh and fruity white made from 100% Chardonnay, with a really appealing, lively scent of apples and lemons and a hint of ripe, rounded peach on the finish... You must be 18 or over to purchase this product This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

Single Breasted Stitch Front Jacket with New Wool, at Marks and Spencer
Smart and stylish, this stitch front jacket is tailored to fit and flatter. A great choice for work

Autograph Double Riptape Shoes, at Marks&Spencer
Round toe Riptape fastening Punch detail Flat Stitch detail

Breakthrough Breast Cancer Re-Usable Organic Cotton Bag, at Marks and Spencer
Show you care with this organic cotton re-usable bag supporting Breakthrough breast cancer charity. 10% of the price of this product is donated to Breakthrough

Rosina 2-Seater Sofa, at Marks and Spencers
H82 x W174 x D97cm Seat H45cm (all dimensions are approximate) Seat cushions filled with shape-retaining foam - superior quality foam with a high density for added comfort and support Other cushions filled with polyester fibre. Gives a soft sit with a lived-in look, which will soften and relax even further with use. Fibre is sewn into channels within the interior to prevent settlement in one area of the cushion Fabric options feature reversible cushions Frame made from solid hardwood. All main joints are glued and screwed to give the frame strength Frames are rigorously tested with 95kg weight equivalent and exceed standards set for heavy domestic use Solid birch feet with a medium finish All of our fabrics are treated with Stain-Defence& trade; - a stain resistant finish - at no extra cost. Fabrics are tested for resistance to wear and fading Detailed care instructions are included 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 Free swatch service: Order up to 6 free swatch samples of any fabric to help you choose your upholstery by calling 0845 603 1 603 Please note: Images displayed here act as a guide and may not be representative of the finished item. Fabrics are overlayed onto model images, so actual seams and pattern match may differ from what is shown. Leather furniture, in particular, has more seams that fabric upholstery due to the nature of the material, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Classic Collection Fleece Gilet with Detachable Faux Fur Collar, at Marks & Spencers
Add a cosy extra layer with this modern gilet. Fashionable as well as practical, it will keep you warm and comfy without compromising on style.

2 Tone Baseball Hat, at Marks and Spencer
Whether you're keeping the sun out of your eyes during the big game or simply relaxing in casualwear, the baseball cap is a style essential

Chuggington 60 Sticker Activity Book, at Marks and Spencer
Let's ride the rails! Its time for story fun in Chuggington! Join me and my trainee friend Brewster and use your chugger stickers to complete our trainstastic story scenes.

Silver Plated Paua Pear Stretch Bracelet, at Marks & Spensers
Stretch style Pear design

Alsace Pinot Grigio 2007 - Case of 12, at Marks&Spencer
Style: Dry Grape variety: Pinot Grigio Country of origin: France Closure: Screw cap Suitable for vegetarians Bottle: 12 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 13% vol. Alcohol units per bottle: 9.8 Alcohol units per 125ml: 1.6 Contains sulphites You must be 18 or over to purchase this product This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

Latte Ceramic Table Lamp, at Marks n Spencer
Faux silk shade Cylinder stand Two tone reactive glaze base H49.5 x Diam 28cm Bulb: 60W GLS B22 GLS This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Profiterole Stack, at Marks & Spencers
Serves 8 Ready to eat Not suitable for nut allergy sufferers 640g As featured on page 49 in the food to order brochure Order by 5pm to collect in 5 days Available for collection in the majority of our UK mainland stores

Sleeveless Open Neck Leaf Print Shirt, at Marks & Spencer
This fab sleeveless shirt features a stunning leaf print. A sophisticated new look, perfect for this season

Nintendo Wii™ Classic Controller, at Marks n Spencer
The Classic Controller is connected to the Wii Remote by a short cable. The Wii Remote provides the Controller with a wireless connection to the Wii console. The Classic Controller is primarily used for playing Virtual Console games available for download from the Wii Shop Channel. Some Wii Disc games also use the Classic Controller. Check the back of Wii game packaging to see which games are compatible 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

10 Denier Matt Ladder Resist Sheer Hold-Ups, at M+S
An M&S exclusive. Extra stretch is added to every stitch of these sheer matt hold ups to stop ladders from forming

Short Sleeve Wavy Knitted Shirt, at Marks & Spensers
Smart and stylish, this wavy knitted shirt is made from stretch fabric for a flattering and fashionable fit

Portfolio Sleeveless Cross Over Neck Jersey Dress, at Marks and Spencers
Sophisticated and elegant, this short sleeve dress features a cross over neck. A flattering, stylish look

Portfolio Mid Length Zig Zag Print Skirt, at Marks & Spensers
Part of Portfolio's Shades of Paradise trend, featuring the earthy tones of nature combined with rich, tropical highlights. Elegant and feminine styling makes this a chic summer look

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