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 Spenser 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, Buildings & Contents Insurance policies. Usually, UK Buildings & Contents 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 Buildings & Contents 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 Buildings & Contents Insurance than you will anywhere else, and you may even pay less with M&S.

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 & Spensers 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 n Spencer, 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 Buildings & Contents Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, savings products, M&S Credit Cards, M&S Loans, and much more besides.

Marks and Spencers may not necessarily be the first name that springs to mind when you're thinking about renewing your Buildings & Contents Insurance or Car Insurance, but MarksandSpencer 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 Money website. With a simple, no-hassle service, you can compare features between a number of M&S Money Direct products and competitor's products, and sign up in just a few minutes.

Whether you're looking for savings products or M&S Money loans, credit cards or Buildings & Contents Insurance - besides a number of other insurance products, M&S Money 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 Money insurance products (Buildings & Contents 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 n Spencer insurance products in document format too.

Girls' Limited Pure Cotton Pocket Tunic, at Marks and Spenser
Part of Girls' Limited, a contemporary casual collection in trend-conscious styles and soft comfortable fabrics, designed for easy layering. Perfect for stylish girls who love looking fashionable

Faux Pearl Clip-On Earrings, at Mark & Spensers
Pearl effect Clip-on fastening Diameter 12mm

Garmin® nüvi® 5000 Satellite Navigation System, at Marks and Spencers
Maps: nvi 5000 comes with preloaded City Navigator NT street maps and millions of points of interest (POIs) such as hotels, restaurants, fuel stations, ATMs and more Directions: Touch the colour screen to enter a destination, and nvi takes you there with 2-D or 3-D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. It even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road, and its 3-D digital elevation map view gives you fair warning of grade changes Display: 5.2" diag (13.2 cm), 4.5"W x 2.7"H (11.4 x 6.9 cm), WVGA color TFT with auto dimming backlight Display type: WVGA color TFT with auto dimming backlight Go Beyond Navigation: Navigation is just the beginning. nvi 5000 includes many must have entertainment and travel tools including MP3 player, audio book player (subscription to Audible.com required), JPEG picture viewer, Garmin Games and more. With nvi 5000's wireless FM transmitter you can hear audio, including voice prompts, MP3s and audio books, through your vehicle's stereo. It's also compatible with FM traffic alerts or MSN Direct content (receiver and subscription required) It comes with Garmin Lock™ (an anti-theft feature) and is compatible with our free Garmin Garage where you can download custom vehicles that show your location on the map Battery life: External power only (no battery) Bluetooth Wireless Technology: Connect to your phone for hands-free calling Dimensions: W14.3 x H9.4 x D2cm Weight: 263.3g 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

The Floral Collection Soap Gift Set, at Mark & Spensers
Pack of 4 Magnolia Soap:75g Rose Soap: 75g Lavender Soap: 75g Iris Soap: 75g

Pure Cotton Frill Scoop Neck Top, at Mark & Spensers
The striking frill scopp neck detail gives this pretty soft cotton long sleeve tee a stylish twist

Autograph 3 Piece Cardigan Outfit, at Marks & Spenser
Fun and practical, this cute 3-piece outfit features long sleeve cardigan, t-shirt and jeans. It's made from soft fabric to keep him comfy. With luxury in every detail, this is part of our exclusive Autograph collection

Perfect Boyfriend Style Cardigan, at Marks&Spencer
Everyone's favourite style is back. We've updated our boyfriend cardi for this season, in a couple of different lengths. Enjoy!

Cotton Rich Long Sleeve Velour Hooded Top, at M&S
Fashionable and practical, this cotton rich long sleeve velour hooded top features a drawstring and front pockets

Older Boys' Shark Flip Flops, at Marks and Spencer
Flat sole Shark print Contrast stripe

Autograph Berry Damask Pillowcase, at Marks and Spencer
Damask print Pure Cotton, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

3 Cool & Fresh Cotton Rich Assorted Trunks, at Marks and Spencer
Made from soft breathable stretch cotton, these comfy trunks are ideal for everyday wear

Oliveira Lecestre Vieilles Vignes Chablis 2008 - Case of 6, at M&S
Style: Dry Grape variety: Chardonnay Country of origin: France Closure: Natural cork Suitable for vegetarians Bottle: 6 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 12.5% vol. Alcohol units per bottle: 9.4 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

Brass & Glass Mantle Clock, at Marks and Spencer
Brass & solid glass construction Inset movement Quartz accuracy A quartz clock keeps time by the vibrations of a quartz crystal. It is judged to be the most accurate timepiece now on the market, losing or gaining only a minute a year, compared with one or two minutes a week for most other watches H17.5cm x W16cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

PURE ChargePAK E1 Rechargeable Battery Pack, at Mark & Spensers
Easy to install - can be fitted in seconds Easy to use - just fit and forget Charges inside the radio, no separate charging unit required Increased battery life per charge over standard rechargeable batteries Replaces the need for throwaway alkaline batteries Provides up to 24 hours wireless listening Battery specification: lithium-ion 3.7V 8800mAh Compatible with PURE radios: EVOKE Flow, EVOKE Mio, EVOKE-1S, EVOKE-2S 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 Free 2 year guarantee *Must be returned with the tamper seal intact for full refund

Girls' Fashion Schoolwear - Stain Defence™ Bootleg Trousers, at Marks & Spenser
Fashionable as well as practical, these stylish trousers are treated with Stain Defence™ which repels everyday stains. Stretch fabric gives a comfortable and shapely fit

Ascensio Hard Small Rollercase, at Marks & Spencer
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

Spider-man 3™ Blu-ray DVD, at M & S
Rating Suitable for 12 years and over,

V-Neck Plain Knitted Jumper, at M&S
Soft and comfy, this v-neck plain jumper is outstanding value. A fashionable easycare style

Platinum Plated Diamanté Detail Floral Earrings, at Marks and Spencer
Hook fastening Floral design Diamant detail For hygiene reasons, refunds will only be given in accordance with your legal rights

Per Una Peep Toe Butterfly Shoes, at M & S
Peep toe Cutaway butterfly detail Bow feature Low heel Slip on Heel height 35mm Comes in sizes 3-8, including half sizes

Lavender Lantern Candle, at Marks and Spencer
Lavender fragrance Natural and decorative botanicals Burns up to 4 hours, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

High School Musical 2 Soundtrack CD, at Marks and Spencer
Audio CD, Marks & Spencer

Portfolio Short Sleeve Jersey Top, at Marks and Spencer
Part of Portfolio's Parisienne trend. Feel bold and chic in this feminine look inspired by Parisian style. With a striking colour palette of cream, ruby, black and dove grey, this is a style-conscious trend for the new season

Winchester Collection - Floor Lamp, at Marks & Spencers
Conical shade Ridged top Round base 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 , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Pure Cotton Short Sleeve Frill Front Top, at Marks n Spencer
Bring some casual elegance to your wardrobe with this short sleeve top, that features frilled neckline with lace giving it an extra stylish twist

Formula Instant Fix Moisture Boost Serum, at Marks and Spencers
Immediate moisture drench Guaranteed 16hr continuous moisture delivery Suitable for all skin types Hypoallergenic 30ml

Bamboo Soap Dispenser, at Marks n Spencer
Approx size: H7 x W7 x L16cm Pump action Bamboo design, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Blue Harbour Pure Cotton Crew Neck T-Shirt, at M & S
Fashionable and relaxed, this crew neck t-shirt is made from pure cotton it's soft, breathable and comfortable to wear

Sterling Silver Inset Shell Necklace, at Marks n Spencer
Clasp fastening Shell inset design Length: 41cm

Long Faux Pearl Necklace, at Marks & Spenser
Long chain Clasp fastening Mixed faux pearls Necklace length 40cm

There are lots of ways to save money using M&S Money. Not least of these is Marks and Spencer 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 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 Car Insurance from M&S Finance, you get more, and you pay less.