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 Mark's & 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 Buildings & Contents Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, savings products, M&S Credit Cards, M&S Loans, and much more besides.

Shopping for financial products at M&S Money UK website is just as simple as shopping for fashion or furniture at the Marks & Spencer online store. Here are just some of the financial products which can be purchased via the M&S Money website:

• M&S Insurance: M&S Car Insurance, M&S Buildings & Contents Insurance, M&S Life Insurance, M&S Wedding Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance
• M&S Credit Cards: M&S Credit Card, M&S Premium Club Card
• M&S Loans: M&S Car Buying Plan, M&S Personal Loans
• M&S Money: M&S Travel Money for your trips abroad
• M&S Savings: M&S Everyday Savings Account, M&S Fixed Rate Savings, M&S Stocks & Shares ISA, M&S Cash ISA, M&S Unit Trust

Of course, many of these types of product can be purchased elsewhere too; however, once you begin to take a closer look at the products from Mark & Spensers, it's easy to see that these are good financial products, at value-for-money prices.

And, just as importantly, contacting M&S Money in the event of a query, or an insurance claim, is as easy as picking up the phone, or visiting the M&S Money website.

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 Money 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, 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.

Sony 40'' KDL-40WE5W HD Ready 1080 Eco-friendly LCD TV, at Mark's & Spencer
HD Ready 1080p: Displays images in Full HD 1080p, the maximum resolution defined for HDTV use, when connected to an HD compatible device Display: 40 inch LCD screen, 1920 x 1080 pixels Contrast Ratio: Dynamic Contrast 100000:1 Integrated Digital and Cable Tuner Provides access to all Freeview™ terrestrial digital channels and radio stations (subject to coverage in your area) and is cable TV ready (with supported providers only) Dimensions: W98.7 x H68.6 x D30.3cm (with table stand), W98.7 x H63.8 x D10.4 (without stabe stand) Weight: 21kg (with stand), 18kg (without stand) BRAVIA Engine 3: Experience incredibly clear and defined images with BRAVIA ENGINE 3 picture enhancement technology and Advanced Contrast Enhancer Connectors: 4 HDMI, 2 Scart, Composite video input, S-video input, Audio Input, Component video input, Mini-D sub, Digital audio output, Headphone jack Live Colour Creation: Delivers natural colour like no other 24p True Cinema: Shows films at 24 frames per second, just like a real cinema Motionflow: Boosts the refresh rate from standard 50Hz to 100Hz for super-smooth, precise viewing, which is ideal for sports Xross Media Bar: A new Sony interface that's easier to operate Picture Frame Mode: When you are not watching TV, display one of the 6 pre-installed masterpieces or show one of your own photos uploaded via the USB input Voice Zoom: Allows you to alter the volume of voices without changing the background volume BRAVIA Theatre Sync: Synchronises your Sony theatre system so it can be operated by the press of a single button Use wall mount T042104 to perfectly mount this TV, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Collezione Pure Silk Diamond Pattern Tie, at Marks & Spencer
Stylish and luxurious, this pure silk tie is part of Collezione, a sophisticated menswear collection inspired by Italian tailoring

3/4 Sleeve Scoop Neck Tunic, at Marks & Spencers
Pretty and feminine, this scoop neck tunic features a pintuck shoulder detail

Bamboo Collection Salad Servers, at Mark's & Spencer
2 part set Includes salad fork and spoon, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Per Una Roma Bootleg Patent Belt Jeans, at Marks & Spencers
Comes with belt shown in image A modern pair of bootleg jeans in stretch cotton and finished with a stylish patent belt

Blue Harbour Linen Blend Short Sleeve Shirt, at Marks and Spenser
Relaxed casual style for less! This cotton and linen shirt is outstanding value

Step Ladder Bookcase - Espresso, at Marks and Spencer
H190 x W60 x D39.5cm Lean-to shelving unit Crafted from rubberwood Delivered flatpack due to size Some self-assembly required. Delivered boxed to your door. You will need to unpack, assemble and position the item yourself This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Pure Cotton Heart Print Minishirt, at Marks & Spencer
Fashionable and modern, this heart print minishirt is made from soft breathable cotton for a comfortable night's sleep

Lyon Dinner Plate, at Marks & Spencers
Rib detail Diam 28cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Men's Fragrance Collection Shower Gels, at Marks & Spencer
Contains: 50ml Woodspice shower gel 50ml Isis shower gel 50ml Harvard shower gel 50ml Blue energy shower gel

Play Toolbox, at Mark's & Spencer
Suitable for ages 3+ Box contains: a ruler, saw, plier, spanner, screwdriver & a hammer Imaginative play This product conforms to EN71 and the Toy Safety Directive, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Pure Cotton Ruched Waist Skirt, at Marks & Spencer
Fun and fashionable, this cotton skirt feels relaxed and comfy to wear

Autograph Pure Cotton Straight Leg Jeans, at Marks & Spencers
Fashionable and contemporary, these straight leg jeans made from pure cotton are part of our exclusive Autograph collection. A great design, superior fabric and careful attention to detail make them exceptionally stylish and comfortable

Glass Link Collar Necklace, at Marks and Spencers
Collar length necklace Various beads Necklace length 40cm, extendable by 7cm

Older Boys' Pure Cotton Straight Leg Jeans, at Marks and Spencers
Comes with belt shown in image These contemporary jeans with matching belt are great for wearing casually and are made of comfortable cotton

4 Pairs of Autograph Cotton Rich Varied Stripe Socks, at Marks & Spenser
Modern and fashionable, these varied stripe socks are part of our exclusive Autograph collection

Older Girls' Pure Cotton Shopping Bag, at Marks and Spencer
Stylish girls need to keep all their essentials to hand, so this heart print shopping bag is a must have!

Collezione Wool Rich Quilted Cardigan, at Marks&Spencer
Fashionable and contemporary, this quilted cardigan is part of Collezione, a sophisticated menswear collection inspired by Italian style

Single Pleat Crease Resistant Trousers, at Marks&Spencer
Stay smarter for longer with these innovative crease resistant trousers

Pure Cotton Woven Check Design Vest Top, at Marks & Spencer
It's the beautifully detailed embroidery that makes this sleeveless woven vest top irresistibly stylish

Girls' Limited Cotton Rich Stirrup Leggings, at Mark's & Spencer
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

Silver Plated Scattered Heart Necklace & Earring Set, at Marks and Spenser
2 part set Butterfly stud fastening earrings Clasp fastening necklace with scattered heart pendant

North Coast Short Sleeve Dobby Stripe Shirt, at M+S
Relaxed and stylish, this short sleeve shirt dobby stripe is made from a comfortable cotton blend

Bow Design Headband, at M&S
Dress up those tresses in fabulous style with this cute bow headband

Viva Display Unit, at Marks and Spencers
H160 x W80 x D35cm Made from steel with a nickel finish Shelves are made from safety-tested toughened glass Delivered flatpack due to size. Delivered boxed to your door. No assembly required but you will need to unpack and position the item yourself This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Per Una Cap Sleeve Stripe Top, at Marks & Spensers
A fashionable mandarian collar top. Curved neckline gives it Per Una touch

Sony Bravia 32'' KDL-32S5500 HD Ready LCD TV, at Marks & Spencer
HD Ready 1080i: This TV is able to display sharper, clearer and more vibrant High Definition images when connected to an HD compatible device Display: LCD Sony Bravia Engine 2 with a 32 inch viewable screen and a display resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels Dynamic Contrast: 25000:1 Integrated Digital & Cable Tuner: Watch digital TV with the integrated standard definition digital terrestrial tuner (MPEG-2, also receives analogue) Dimensions: With table stand: W80.7 x H55.7 x D22.2cm, without table stand: W80.7 x H50.8 x D94cm Weight: inc. stand 12.7kg, without stand 11.4kg Sound: Nicam stereo Connectors: HDMI™ Inputs x 3, HDMI™ PC Signal Capability, PC Input (15pin D-Sub) + Audio In, Component Inputs x 1, Composite Video In x 1, USB 2.0 Input, MiniJack (Head/Earphone) 3.5mm, PCMCIA Card Slot, RCA Audio Out, RF In, Scart Inputs (RGB) x 2 BRAVIA Engine 2: Enjoy images with impressive depth and clarity, optimal contrast, vibrant colours and truer-to life tones with BRAVIA ENGINE 2 24p True Cinema: Shows images at 24 frames per second just like a real cinema screen Picture Mode: Share your favourite photos and music on the big screen with the easy-to-use USB Photo Viewer and Music Player Use wall mount T042104 to perfectly mount this TV, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Funnel Neck Long Sleeve Performance Jacket, at Marks and Spencers
Ideal for active wear, this Performance jacket incorporates moisture management technology. The high-performance fabric draws moisture away from the skin to the surface, keeping you drier. Designed for a great fit and essential ease of movement

Portfolio Panelled Ponte Pencil Skirt, at Marks & Spensers
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

SanDisk Memory Stick PRO Duo™ 1GB, at Marks and Spenser
Write/erase over 100,000 times For use in a variety of digital products including mobile phones, digital cameras, digital camcorders, car navigation systems, and hand held PCs Real time recording of high resolution video High-speed data transfer 1GB storage Larger storage capacity than standard Memory Stick cards

M&S Money offers a variety of financial and insurance products, but Car Insurance is something that almost everyone needs - at least if you own a car. Unfortunately there are so many companies offering Car Insurance today that, after a while, one policy may begin to look much like the next.

Thinking that most Car Insurance policies are much the same is usually a bad idea. At worst it can be a very expensive mistake - this is when you find out that your Car Insurance policy doesn't actually cover you for what you thought it did, or it takes your Car Insurance company months and months to argue over whether to pay you or not. Fortunately M&S Money Car Insurance is not like that at all, and when you compare M&S Car Insurance to the competition then it stacks up quite nicely.

For example, here are just some of the options which come as standard with Marks and Spencers 5 Star Premier cover Car Insurance (correct at May 2009), which are quite often not included with comparable Car Insurance plans from companies such as Direct Line, Sainsburys, or Tesco:

• Personal UK and European Breakdown Cover automatically included
• Comprehensive cover for trips abroad in the European Union – up to 90 days per trip
• Courtesy car during approved repairs automatically included
• Cover for Motor Legal Protection automatically included

So, it is clear that, besides being good value, M&S Car Insurance also provides much more extensive cover than some of the top competitors. Additionally, you don't even need to be behind the wheel to benefit from M&S Money UK and European Breakdown Cover, since it covers you as a passenger too.