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 & Spenser, 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 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.

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

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 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 Home 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 Home 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.

Compact Argyle Bow & Heart Print Umbrella, at Marks & Spencer
Lightweight and easy to carry, this slimline umbrella is perfect for keeping at hand for effective protection from sudden downpours

Cashmilon™ 3/4 Sleeve Slash Neck Jumper, at Marks n Spencer
Fashionable and flattering, this 3/4 sleeve slash neck jumper is made from supersoft cashmilon™ and features a ruched front detail

Portfolio Cotton Rich Casual Jeans, at MarksandSpencer
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

Autograph Pure Cotton Long Sleeve Grandad Top, at Marks & Spenser
Part of Kids' Autograph, a luxurious collection of beautifully designed clothing in high quality fabrics with superior finishing details. Kids' Autograph gives a stylish well-dressed look

Pure Cotton Long Sleeve Zip-Up Cardigan, at Marks and Spenser
The chunky design and zip-up fastening give this pure cotton cardigan a fashionable twistbr>

The Floral Collection Magnolia Shower Cream, at Marks & Spenser
Moisture rich shower cream Magnolia scented 250ml Ingredients: Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Magnolia Liliflora (Magnolia), Glycerin, Cocamide DEA, Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Betaine, Parfum, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Geraniol, Linalool, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-39, Citric Acid, Benzophenone-2, Magnesium Nitrate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Propylene Glycol Methylparaben, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Propylparaben, Sorbitol, Methylisothiazolinone, Phenoxyethanol, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, CI 19140, CI 14700

Older Girls' Triple Bow Shoes, at Marks and Spencers
Round toe Triple bow feature Slip on Contrast trim Flat sole

Philips ID9372B Cordless Phone with Answering Machine, at Marks & Spenser
250 name and number phonebook 50 SMS storage capacity 30 call log entries 15 minutes recording time Plug and play answering machine Call waiting Tone and pulse dialling Enhanced speakerphone for real-life hands-free conversations Free intercom Registers up to 4 handsets to one base White backlit inverse display SIM-card copying facility GAP compatible Caller ID and microphone mute feature

Spinsanti Chardonnay 2008 - Case of 12, at Marks and Spencers
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay Country of origin:Argentina Closure: Natural Cork Suitable for vegetarians and vegans Bottle:12 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

Maxim Pasta Bowl, at Marks and Spencers
Versatile fine dining range Pure white porcelain Suitable for everyday use Makes an ideal gift Diam 22cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Foil and Floral Large Birthday Card, at Marks and Spencer
Cover text: Happy Birthday Inside message: Blank for your own message Approx size: 140 x 340mm

Cotton Rich Sporty Cycle Shorts, at Marks and Spencer
Ideal for sports and PE, these cycle shorts are made from cotton with stretch so they're comfortable, breathable and easy to move in

Long Sleeve Funnel Neck Hooded Jacket, at Marks and Spencers
Practical and fashionable, this hooded jacket is fully lined and features twin breast pockets. A comfortable, easycare style, machine washable for added convenience

Ogee Damask Pencil Pleat Curtains, at Marks n Spencer
Damask design Pencil pleat Lined Comes in standard 168cm/66in (STD) and wider 219cm/86in (WDR) widths Also comes in three drop lengths: short (137cm/54in), medium (183cm/72in), long (229cm/90in) How to measure for window dressings: Click here for a guide to measuring for curtains, pelmets and roman blinds., Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Perfect Scorpius Hard Small Rollercase, at Marks&Spencer
Strong yet lightweight, this stylish luggage has 4 wheels for maximum manoeuvrability, a fixed combination lock, telescopic handle and fully lined interiors. There's a free 5 year guarantee, too

Photo Cocktail Sister Card, at Marks & Spensers
Cover text: Fabulous Sister Inside message: Happy Birthday Approx size: 175 x 126mm This card is made with material from FSC certified sustainable forests. Protecting the world's forests for the future

Maxim Tea Plate, at Marks & Spencers
Plain white porcelain Suitable for everyday use Versatile fine dining range Makes an ideal gift Diam 16cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

5 Cotton Rich Cushioned Trainer Liner Socks with Cool&Fresh, at Marks and Spencer
These trainer liners feature a cushioning sole for shock absorption and comfort. Knitted arch support keeps them in place during exercise

Cotton Rich Transformers Hooded Top, at Marks n Spencer
Fans of Transformers will love this hooded top featuring embroidered motif. A practical, easycare style

Elegant Droplet 5-Arm Ceiling Light, at Marks & Spencer
Chrome finish Droplet design 5 arms for bulbs Bulb: 60W SES H46 x W39 x D37cm This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Widefit Almond Toe Court Shoes, at Marks and Spencers
Almond toe Slip-on Lined Heel height 64mm Comes in sizes 3-8, including half sizes

Cropped Peplum Cardigan with Wool, at Marks & Spenser
A touch of wool adds warmth and softness to this fashionable cropped peplum jacket. A flattering modern look

Machine Washable Multi Stripe Tie, at Marks and Spencer
No more trips to the drycleaners! This contemporary spot print tie is machine washable

Swirl Wine Glass, at Mark's & Spencer
Conical shape Swirl design Handmade Height: 24.5 cm Capacity: 38 cl, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Ballet Shoes Granddaughter Birthday Card, at Marks & Spencers
Cover text: To a wonderful Granddaughter...Wishing you a magical birthday Inside message: May all your dreams come true on your birthday Approx size: 150 x 150 mm

Autograph Cotton Rich 3 Piece Waistcoat Outfit, at Marks & Spensers
Fun and practical, this cute 3-piece outfit features a stripe design. It's made from soft cotton to keep him comfy. With luxury in every detail, this is part of our exclusive Autograph collection

Per Una Pure Cotton Sleeveless Floral Camisole, at Mark's & Spencer
A fashionable camisole featuring an floral print and frill trim

2 Mini Limited Cotton Rich Plain & Animal Print Leggings, at M&S
Mini Limited is a collection of cute fun styles designed in the latest looks. The casual, contemporary pieces are comfortable, easy to wear and perfect for layering

Per Una Leather Notched Belt, at Marks & Spenser
A bold buckle makes this fashionable belt even more special. Add a stylish finishing touch from Per Una

Côtes du Ventoux St Gabriel 2006 - Case of 12, at M & S
Style: Dry, medium bodied Grape variety: Carignan, Grenache, Syrah Country of origin: France Closure: Natural cork Bottle: 12 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

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

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