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 & Spencer, through its M&S Money Direct 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 Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, savings products, M&S Credit Cards, M&S Loans, and much more besides.

M&S Money Direct 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 Direct 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 & Spensers 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, Sainsbury's, or Tescos:

• 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 Direct UK and European Breakdown Cover, since it covers you as a passenger too.

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

• M&S Insurance: M&S Car Insurance, M&S Buildings 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's & Spencer, it's easy to see that these are good financial products, at value-for-money prices.

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

Sony PSP™ 3000 Console with Buzz Brain Bender & Loco Roco Games Bundle, at M+S
Bundle includes PSP 3000 console, Buzz Brain Bender & Loco Roco Buzz Brain Bender: Buzz! swaps his trademark game show suit for a lab coat and clipboard. Welcome to Buzz!: Brain Bender - a lighter, entertaining and humorous new take on the puzzle genre! Loco Roco: The peaceful world of the Loco Roco are under attack by the not-so-nice Moja Corps. These evil outer space creatures want nothing but to capture the blissful Loco Roco and take them from their land of blowing flowers, lively creatures and pastel scenery. As the planet where the Loco Roco inhabit, players must tilt, roll and bounce the Loco Roco to safety Display: 4.3'' display (16:9) full-transparent type, TFT drive, 480 x 272 pixel, Approximately 16,770,000 colors displayed Improved screen: Capable of displaying movies and photos in more natural and vibrant colors CPU: PSP CPU (System clock frequency 1-333MHz) Built-in microphone: Enables voice chat as soon as you are in a WiFi zone. Enjoy games that use a microphone, Skype and other communication tools TV play: Expanded AV interlaced output gives better refresh rates and sharper images on the TV Sound: Built-in stereo speakers Main memory: 64MB Video formats supported: MPEG-4, AVI Audio formats supported: MP3, MP4, WAVE, WMA, ATRAC3™, ATRAC3plus™ Photo formats supported: JPEG, TIFF, BMP, GIF, PNG Connectors: USB connector, Memory Stick Duo™ slot, Video out/headset connector, DC in/out Input/output: Wi-Fi, High Speed USB, Memory Stick PRO Duo™, Analog Video Out, Microphone Power source: Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery pack, AC adaptor, USB power supply Dimensions: L17 x D1.8 x W7.1cm Weight: 189g (including battery pack)

Stainless Steel Barbecue Tool Set, at Marks & Spencer
5 piece Barbeque set 1 x turner 1 x tongs 3 x skewers Stainless steel

Milk & White Chocolate Three-Present Stack Cake, at Marks & Spenser
64 portions Chocolate cake: A rich chocolate cake filled with chocolate ganache. Chocolate sponge cakes can be eaten up to 5 days after collection 3 cakes: 19.5cm square/15cm square/11cm square 3.3kg total weight Not suitable for nut allergy sufferers Suitable for vegetarians As featured on page 67 of the Food to Order brochure Available for collection in the majority of our UK mainland stores

Outdoor Linen Rich Square Mat, at Marks and Spencer
Square shape Contrast trim Plain

Maximum Support Sheer Bra, at Marks & Spencer
Feel fabulous and comfortable in this elegant and supportive bra. It's lightweight yet shaped to give all-round uplift and support thanks to extra wide back straps and wide shoulder straps

Adored Comfort Embroidered Orchid Padded Bra, at Marks & Spencer
Pretty and elegant, this underwired padded bra is made from the softest fabric and embroidery, so it feels blissfully comfortable to wear. Underwiring and padding give an uplifted and enhanced natural shape. Feminine everyday lingerie

Sparkle Stack Necklace & Bracelet Set, at M&S
2 part set Mixed bead design Clasp fastening Adjustable length Necklace length: 41cm, extendable by 8cm

Per Una Short Sleeve Stripe Cardigan, at Marks and Spencer
A fashionable short sleeve stripe cardigan in a soft cotton blend. The tie bow neck feature makes it extra stylish

Tree Pastry Cutter, at Mark & Spensers
Tree design, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

5 Pairs of °Climate Control Plain Briefs, at Mark's & Spencer
Climate control keeps you cool when you're hot and warms you up when you're cold so you're always at your optimum temperature. Exclusive to M&S, Climate control clothing is comfortable and breathable - ideal for sportswear. The Outlast technology behind this innovative fabric was originally developed for astronauts and is recognised by NASA as Certified Space Technology

Vienna Collection - Floor Lamp, at Marks & Spencer
Facetted glass curtain shade Chrome plated base Round base Dimensions: H161 x Diam 40cm Bulb: 100W GLS or 21W CFL, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Beaded 65th Birthday Card, at Marks and Spencers
Cover text: 65 Today Inside message: Happy Birthday Approx size: 178 mm x 125 mm

Pretty Floral Wife Anniversary Card, at Marks and Spencer
Cover text: To my wonderful wife on our anniversary, When I married you, I thought I couldn't love you more, But now I know I do Inside message: Happy anniversary Approx size: Unfolded: 176 x 126mm

Cut Flowers Inclusion Pillar Candle, at M & S
Cut flowers fragrance Floral detail Pillar style candle, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Pure Cotton Roll Neck Stripe Jumper, at Mark's & Spencer
Soft and comfy, this warm knitted roll neck stripe jumper is outstanding value. A fashionable easycare style

Older Boys' Lace Up Trainers, at Marks and Spencers
Round toe Lace-up fastening Stitch detail Mesh panel design Grip sole Comes in sizes 1-7

Funnel Neck Half Zip Fleece Jumper, at Mark's & Spencer
Fashionable and practical, this comfortable fleece features a half zip fastening for a stylish modern look

Pixel Detail Sunglasses, at Marks & Spencer
These elegantly understated sunglasses will never go out of style. A fabulously versatile summer essential

Mens Casual Square Buckle Belt, at Marks & Spenser
This square buckle belt is ideal for wearing with casual styles

Panasonic 37" TX-L37S10 Full HD LCD TV, at Marks & Spenser
HD Ready 1080p: Displays images in Full HD 1080p, the maximum resolution defined for HDTV use, when connected to an HD compatible device Display: 37 inch plasma display, 2,073,600 (1,920 x 1,080) pixels Contrast (Dynamic): 50,000:1 Integrated Digital Tuner: Gives you access to all Freeview™ terrestrial digital TV channels and all digital radio stations (subject to coverage in your area) Dimensions: W91.5 x H57.7 x D9.7cm (without stand) 91.5 x 62 x 28.7cm (with stand) Weight: 15.5 kg (with stand) V-Audio: Unique sound technology that delivers crystal-clear sound with superior bass performance Connectors: 3 x HDMI, 2 Scart, PC Input, S-Video Input, Headphone Jack, Composite Video Input VIERA Superior Picture Quality: The VIERA system provides richly expressed images with enhanced contrast SD Card Slot: View your treasured photos on the big screen by simply removing your camera's memory card and sliding it into the SD card slot 24p Playback: High speed playback of images to recreate the full cinematic experience VIERA Link: Enables you to control all your AV systems with only one remote 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 Please Note: Freeview™ is not yet available to the whole of the UK. We advise that you check that your postcode area can receive the Freeview signal before ordering this product Please Note: To receive the full range of Freeview™ channels, customers should use an outdoor wide band aerial. Suitable portable TV aerials can be used to receive Freeview but the quality of the reception is dependent on the quality of the product and the signal area. Due to these factors you may not receive all Freeview channels when using an indoor aerial Use wall mountT042104 to perfectly mount this TV, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Silver Plated Multi Strand Necklace & Earring Set, at M & S
2 part set Butterfly stud fastening earrings Clasp fastening multi strand necklace with mixed bead design

Sweet Lips Lipgloss, at Mark & Spencers
Comes in a variety of colours

Classic Collection Floral Print Long Skirt, at Marks and Spencer
Elegant, stylish and comfortable, this long skirt is finished with a floral print. The ideal match for blouses and fine knits in coordinating colours

3 Pure Cotton Assorted Sleepsuits, at Marks&Spencer
Soft and snuggly, this practical pack of sleepsuits is great value! The cotton fabric is comfy to sleep in and popper fastenings make quick changes easy

2 Pack Ball Candle, at Marks and Spencers
Pack of 2 Ball shaped 80mm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Little Cherries Thank You Card, at Marks & Spencer
Cover text: What a sweetie pie! Thanks! Inside message: Blank for your own message Dimensions: 150 x 150mm

Per Una Rosie Spot Jersey Dress, at Marks & Spensers
A stunning spot print dress in soft stretch fabric featuring a stylish tie waist design

Classic Collection Funnel Neck Fur Trim Fleece Jacket, at Marks & Spencer
Perfect for relaxing at home as well as keeping warm outside, this cosy fleece features jacket-style detailing for a smart, fashionable look. So versatile and comfortable, you'll want to wear it all the time

Angel Cotton Rich Stripe First Bra & Shorts Set, at Marks & Spencer
This simply styled great value bra set is ideal for everyday wear. It's made with stretchy cotton for a supportive and comfortable fit and the non-wired design is the best choice for first bras

Finger Sandwich Selection, at Mark & Spensers
Contains 20 pieces Serves 4-6 5 different fillings Ready to eat As featured on page 8 of the Food to Order brochure Order by 5pm to collect in 2 days Available for collection in the majority of our UK mainland stores

Besides Marks & Spencers Car Insurance, M&S Money Direct Credit Cards and other financial products, M&S Money Direct Buildings 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 Money Direct 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 Marks and Spencer purchases are also protected while you take them home.

Also, on both M&S Money Direct Premier Buildings Insurance and Standard Buildings 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.