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 & 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 Mark & Spencers, through its M&S Finance website, offer a range of financial products which would not look out of place in many banks, including M&S Motor 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.

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

There are lots of ways to save money using M&S Finance. Not least of these is Marks & Spencers Standard Motor Insurance. With M&S Finance you can keep the cost of your Motor 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 Motor Insurance cover from M&S Finance, which also has other features.

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

Autograph Weekend Cotton Rich Check Shirt with Silk, at Marks & Spenser
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

Mesh Side Multiway Underwired Plunge Bra, at Marks and Spencer
This multiway plunge bra is padded and has added stretch for comfort. For the ultimate in versatility this bra can be worn in 5 ways: conventionally, halterneck, cross back, strapless and one shoulder

Luxury Mattress - Firm, at Marks & Spencer
Single (3ft): W90 x L190cm Double (4ft 6in): W135 x L190cm King Size (5ft): W150 x L200cm Super King Size (6ft): W180 x L200cm Spring count: 2200 Independently pocketed springs in two layers Lambs wool, cotton and loose hair filling Cotton-felt provides a soft-surface with wool holds fillings in place Hand-stitched sides support mattress wall and extend sleeping area Anti-allergy protected for the life of the mattress Does not require turning 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

My First Large Sunny Town Puzzle, at Marks & Spencers
On the road to sunny town, there's loads of things to see. As we complete the puzzle, what can you show me?

Pure Cotton Skater Skirt with Belt, at Marks and Spencer
Smart and modern, this cotton A-line skirt features stripe design. A contemporary style choice that will take you through the season in style

Handy Manny Activity Library, at Marks & Spencer
These little books are the perfect introduction to first words, numbers, shapes and colours. When children have finished reading the books, they can flip them over and put together the delightful puzzle picture of Manny and his trusty tools!

Autograph Weekend Cotton Rich Self Stripe Ruffle Shirt, at Marks & Spenser
Sophisticated and modern, this self stripe ruffle top is beautifully designed and cut for the best in contemporary style. It's made from stretch cotton for a comfortable, flattering fit

Per Una Pure Cotton Printed Pyjamas, at MarksandSpencer
Modern and feminine, these pretty printed pyjamas are made from pure soft cotton. So you can relax in comfort and style. Part of Per Una's sleepwear collection

Marinated Chicken Wing & Drumstick Platter, at Mark's & Spencer
Contains 32 pieces Serves 10 Ready to eat Suitable for freezing 2kg As featured on page 17 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

Chateau Richemont Red 2005 - Case of 12, at Marks and Spencers
Style: Dry Grape variety: 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet franc Country of origin: France Closure: Natural cork 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

Airflex™ Comfort Slip On Shoes, at Mark & Spensers
Square toe Stitch detail Slip-on Shallow block heel Unique Airflex™ airflow system for unbeatable comfort

Summer Spectacular, at Marks and Spencer
This contemporary galvanised bucket is brimming with exquisite roses, fragrant lavender sprigs and rich green salal Available for delivery until 30th September 2009

Blue Striped Medium Gift Bag, at Marks & Spencers
Stripe design Wooden toggle fastening Contains: 1 gift bag Approx size: H260 x W200 x D90mm

5 Cotton Rich Bikini Knickers, at Marks & Spencer
This pack contains 5 black, white and vanilla colour knickers. To see all 5 pairs, go to "click for zoom and other views" under the photo

Autograph Leather Whip Stitch Apron Loafers, at M&S
Square toe Slip-on Stitch detail

Pure Cotton Stripe Voile Blouse, at Marks&Spencer
This fab long sleeve blouse features a stunning stripe design. A vibrant new look, perfect for this season

Gold Plated Clip On Earrings, at Mark & Spencers
4 pairs Assorted designs Clip on

Halterneck Tankini Top, at M+S
Feminine and pretty, this fashionable tankini features a contrast empire line. A stylish, shapely look

Grace Dinner Plate, at Marks & Spencer
Diam: 27.5 cm Rim detail Leaf print Fine China, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Collezione Leather Hip Wallet, at Marks & Spencer
Smart, stylish and practical, this leather wallet makes it easy to organise cards, notes and coins

Per Una Wool Blend Ribbed Beret Hat, at Marks & Spencers
Berets always look so chic making this knitted beret the perfect way to add a stylishly warm finishing touch.

Sebo K Series Cylinder Ultra Bags, at M+S
Suitable for Sebo K Series cylinder vacuum cleaners

Wentworth Recliner, at Marks and Spenser
H99 x W94 x D104cm Reclines to L171cm Seat H52cm (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 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 Feet are castors Manual recline mechanism for extra relaxation 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 than fabric upholstery due to the nature of the material, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Autograph Essentials Embroidered Non-Padded DD-G Bra, at Marks and Spencer
Elegant and feminine this non-padded bra features floral embroidery. Stretch fabric and underwiring give a great fit and flattering uplifted shape. Beautiful exclusive lingerie

Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns CD, at Mark's & Spencer
Audio CD, Marks & Spencer

Fairtrade Pure Cotton V-Neck T-Shirt, at Mark & Spensers
This stylish short sleeve t-shirt is a good deal for you and for our Fairtrade farmers. It's made from 100% Fairtrade cotton, helping local farmers to invest in developing their own communities

Traditional Stripe Cushion With Recycled Filling, at MarksandSpencer
Rectangular shape Stripe design Corner tassels Size: 43cm x 60cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Design Mats - DAMASK, at Marks and Spencer
Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Cotton Rich Stitch Detail Bootleg Jeans, at Mark's & Spencer
Flattering and fabulous, bootcuts make legs look longer and are kind to curves. This pair sits on the waist and is designed to give a shapely feminine silhouette. Added stretch gives the perfect fit

Leather Contrast Stitch Lace-Up Trainers, at Marks & Spencers
Round toe Contrast stitch detail Lace-up Flat sole

Besides Marks and Spencer Motor Insurance, M&S Finance Credit Cards and other financial products, M&S Finance Property 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 M&S Finance 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 M+S purchases are also protected while you take them home.

Also, on both M&S Finance Premier Property Insurance and Standard Property 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.