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 M & S are so useful. M+S Money financial products are, of course, designed to make Marks and Spencer 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 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 Home Insurance than you will anywhere else, and you may even pay less with M&S.

There are lots of ways to save money using M+S Money. Not least of these is Marks & Spencers Standard Car Insurance. With M+S Money 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, which also has other features.

Nonetheless, many features are standard to both the Premier and the Standard Car Insurance policies on offer from M & S, 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 Marks & Spencer Money, you get more, and you pay less.

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&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 & Spensers, through its M+S 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 Home Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, savings products, M&S Credit Cards, M&S Loans, and much more besides.

Petite Single Breasted 1 Button Jacket, at Marks & Spencers
Chic and stylish, this single breasted jacket is tailored to fit and flatter. A great choice for work or smart occasions and it's machine washable for added convenience. Specially designed and perfectly proportioned for the petite frame

Chunky Knit Throw, at Marks & Spencer
Chunky knit Ribbed design Approx size: W150 x L200cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Limited Collection Wide Leg Flat Front Trousers with Belt, at M+S
Fluid and feminine, these wide leg trousers are cut to flatter, giving an elegant silhouette. Practical and fashionable, they make a great choice for work or smart occasions

Burra Brook Shiraz Grenache Rosé 2008 - Case of 12, at Marks & Spencer
Style: Dry Grape variety: Shiraz & Grenache Country of origin: Australia Closure: Screw cap Suitable for vegetarians Bottle: 12 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 13% vol.x 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

Pure Cotton Pleated Floral Skirt, at Mark's & Spencer
Casual and contemporary, this pure cotton skirt features a pleated front detail Stylish, practical and fashionable

Casual Centre Crease Wheel Belt, at Marks and Spencer
This leather belt is ideal for wearing with casual styles

5 Cotton Rich Seamfree Full Briefs, at Marks and Spencer
These seamfree cotton rich briefs are perfect for everyday wear. Added stretch gives a comfortable fit and shape retention

100% Extra Stems on Summer Dawn Bouquet, at Marks & Spencer
This item can only be ordered with the purchase of the Summer Dawn Bouquet (00669221)

Footglove™ Leather Loafers, at Marks & Spencer
Round toe Stitch detail Flat sole Comes in sizes 3-8, including half sizes Footglove™ soles are comfortable, highly flexible and lightweight

Classic Collection Cotton Rich Jersey Jacket, at Marks & Spencer
Smart and fashionable, this cotton rich jacket is finished with stitch detail. A practical, versatile style that can be worn with smart or casual outfits

Divan On Legs & Autograph M500 Mattress - Medium, at Marks & Spencer
No turn mattress Mattress and divan are anti-allergy Mattress: spring count 1225, depth 27.5cm Divan height: 31cm Single 3ft: W90 x L190cm Double 4ft6: W135 x L190cm King size 5ft: W150 x L200cm Super king size 6ft: W180 x L200cm This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Pink Christening Cake (25 Portions), at Marks & Spencers
25 portions Fruit Cake: Made with vine fruits, nuts and cherries laced with brandy. Fruit cake is 20.5cm (diam) and weighs 3.12kg. Can be eaten up to 14 days after collection Sponge Cake: All-butter sponge filled with buttercream and raspberry jam. Sponge cake is 20.5cm (diam) and weighs 1.86kg. Can be eaten up to 5 days after collection Not suitable for nut allergy sufferers Suitable for vegetarians Comes in a box suitable for storing the cake before serving As featured on page 68 of the Food to Order brochure Order before 5pm to collect in 7 days Available for collection in the majority of our UK mainland stores

Handcrafted To Both of You Tulips Easter Card, at M+S
Cover text: Special Easter wishes to both of you Inside message: Happy Easter Approx size: 178 x 125mm

Elasticated Weave Waist Belt, at Marks & Spencers
Define your waistline with this fashionable weave waist belt.

Per Una Flawless Finish Illuminating Concealer, at M & S
Liquid concealer Hypo-allergenic Light diffusing

Dyson DC25 Animal Vacuum Cleaner, at Marks and Spencers
Mini turbine head: Cleans pet hair and dirt from confined spaces such as upholstery, stairs and the car Ball™ technology: Steers smoothly with a turn of the wrist Root Cyclone™ technology: Patented technology that doesn't lose suction power as you vacuum Motorised brush bar: Powerful bristles remove dirt and pet hair from carpets. Turns off to protect delicate rugs and hard floors Washable HEPA filter: Clean expelled air. Ideal for allergy sufferers Telescope Reach™ wand: Wand and hose extend for high reach and stair cleaning while the vacuum remains upright and stable Bin capacity: 1.3 litres Weight: 7.4kg Suction power: 220 AW (constant) Cord length: 7.5 metres Max reach: 12.3 metres Dimensions: W392 x H1071 x D310 Includes: Combination tool, mini turbine head, stair tool, operations manual and quick start guide 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 Free 2 year guarantee, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Mosaic Baker Rack, at Marks & Spensers
Wrought iron twisted stand 3 x wrought iron shelves 1 x mosaic shelf H165 x W76 x D39cm Assembly required This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Wrattonbully Tempranillo 2007 - Case of 6, at Marks n Spencer
Style: Dry Grape variety: Tempranillo Country of origin: Australia Closure: Screw cap Bottle: 6 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 14% vol. Alcohol units per bottle: 10.5 Alcohol units per 125ml: 1.8 Contains sulphites You must be 18 or over to purchase this product This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

Pure Cotton Indulge Cushion, at Marks and Spenser
Square shape Variegated box design Textured Lined Dimensions: 43cm x 43cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Pure Cotton Fisherman Bag, at Mark & Spensers
Stylish and practical, this day bag is ideal for keeping all your essentials to hand

Wool Rich Coat, at Mark & Spencers
Smart and stylish, this superior quality coat is made from a hardwearing wool rich blend and is fully lined

Pure Cotton Indulge Cushion, at Marks & Spencer
Square shape Variegated box design Textured Lined Dimensions: 43cm x 43cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

5 Luxury Multi Stripe Handkerchiefs, at Marks and Spencers
Luxuriously soft handkerchiefs in pure cotton

Aviator Style Sunglasses, at M&S
These aviator sunglasses are the perfect accessory for summer. The tinted lenses and slim arms lend enhance their classic streamlined style

Sony DSC-H20 Digital Camera, at M+S
Pixels: 10.1 megapixels Zoom: 10x optical zoom lens, up to 57x (with VGA) smart zoom, approx. 20x(Total)precision digital zoom Screen: 3 inches LCD monitor type: TFT ISO Sensitivity (REI): Auto,100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 CCD Type: Super HAD CCD Flash Mode: Auto, Forced Flash, Slow Syncro, No Flash Scene Selection: Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Twilight using a tripod, Backlight, Backlight Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Portrait Recording Media: Memory Stick™ Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo™. Memory Stick PRO Duo™ High Speed, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ (same speed as PRO Duo), Internal memory (11MB) Recording Format: JPEG, MPEG4 Battery System: Lithium G Supplied Battery: NP-BG1 Stamina (battery life) with the supplied battery(s) in normal shooting condition: 290 shots, 145min (CIPA standard with LCD screen on) Supplied Software: Picture Motion Browser Ver.4.2 (Windows only) + Music Transfer Supplied Accessories: Rechargeable battery pack (NP-BG1), Battery Charger, Multi Connector Cable, Wrist Strap, CD-ROM, Lens Cap Includes: Camera, European warranty card, quick reference guide, multi connector cable, lens cap, battery charger, instruction manual 10.1 effective megapixels resolution for very high quality imaging and detail-packed enlargements BIONZ processor delivers fast shooting responses and high-resolution images Powerful 10x optical zoom Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens Optical SteadyShot image stabilization for reduced camera shake with handheld shooting, especially in low light or at high zoom settings 3-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus screen (230k dot resolution) Enhanced Smile Shutter automatically fires shutter when subject smiles: now easier to use with adjustable smile threshold Enhanced Face Detection with selectable adult/child priority high-speed subject tracking for clearer portraits. Includes Face Motion Detection and Selected Face Memory Intelligent Scene Recognition simplifies shooting by choosing best settings for difficult conditions such as twilight portraits and backlit scenes HD output to view video and still images on HD TV (requires optional cable). PhotoTV HD enhances still image viewing on compatible BRAVIA TV Dimensions: H7 x W11 x D5cm Weight: 250g (279g with accessories) 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

Penny Sweet Drop Earrings, at M&S
3 bead drop Hook fastening Drop style

Sunny Daze Eau De Toilette 100ml, at Marks and Spencer
Floral fragrance 100ml

M&S Luxury Stripe Panama Hat, at Marks and Spencer
A luxury straw panama hat, it is the perfect addition to any man's summer wardrobe, perfect for any occasion this beautifully woven summer hat has the classic diamond crown with pinch front and is accented by a contrast stripe band trim

The Cotton Collection Cotton Flower Handwash, at Marks & Spencers
Moisturising hand wash 250ml

Portfolio Pure Silk Beaded Blouse, at Mark's & Spencer
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

When you're shopping at Marks & Spensers 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. Offering everything from savings accounts and credit cards, to Home Insurance and Car 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. 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, you would have been in good hands; within just a short time of the volcanic ash disruptions, visitors to the M+S Money 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."