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 Spencer are so useful. M&S Money financial products are, of course, designed to make Marks & 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, Household Insurance policies. Usually, UK Household 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 Household 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 Household 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 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 and Spencers, 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 Motor Insurance, M&S Household 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 MarksandSpencer 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 Motor Insurance, M&S Household 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 Marks & 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 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.

Girls' Fashion Schoolwear - Stain Defence™ Non-Iron Embroidered Skirt, at Marks & Spensers
This innovative non-iron skirt is treated with Stain Defence™ technology which helps repel everyday stains. The adjustable waist gives a perfectly comfortable fit for longer

Shorts with Tie Belt, at Marks and Spencer
Cute and sassy, these east fit shorts are relaxed and casual. The tie belt adds a stylish finish

Cable Knit Cushion With Recycled Filling, at Marks and Spencer
Square shape Cable knit L50 x W50cm Lined, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Floral Fine Art Multipack of Mini Cards, at Marks & Spencer
Pack contains: 8 cards, 4 designs Cover text: All cards are blank Inside message: Blank for your own message This card is made with material from FSC certified sustainable forests. Protecting the world's forests for the future Approx size: 95 x 80mm

Classic Collection Funnel Neck Fleece Jacket, at Mark & Spensers
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

Sleep Station Bedstead, at Mark's & Spencer
Dimensions: L205 x W104cm Headboard: H123cm Endboard: H123cm Single size bed with traditional open coil mattresses Open shelving unit 3 drawer unit Pull out desk 2 cupboards Made from solid pine and pine veener Free eco-friendly delivery to your home. Our crews will unpack, assemble and position the item Delivered flatpack due to size This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more Why use veneers? Unlike solid timber, veneer does not twist/warp/split to the same degree. Only the finest logs are used in veneer production. It is environmentally sound and traditional - much of the finest cabinetry in the world is veneered. Care & Cleaning: Wipe with a soft clean cloth and use a mild furniture cleaner or polish occasionally. Be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions, and be aware that polishes can add sheen., Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Hand Crafted Stitched Guitar Son Birthday Card, at Marks and Spenser
Cover Text: Happy birthday son Inside Message: Blank for your own message Approx size: 178 x 126mm

Ralph the Hedgehog Granddaughter Card, at Marks and Spenser
Cover text: Happy birthday to a lovely granddaughter Inside message: On your special day This card is made with material from FSC certified sustainable forests. Protecting the world's forests for the future Approx size: 150 x 150mm

Bird Print Flexilite Umbrella, at Marks&Spencer
Brighten up rainy days with this stylish lightweight umbrella

Photo Floral Grandma Birthday Card, at Mark's & Spencer
Cover text: To a Special Grandma Inside message: Blank for your own message Approx size: 178 x 126mm

Stainless Steel Small Tongs, at Marks and Spencer
Stainless steel design Tong ends with holes, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

5 Pairs Stripe Trim Sports Socks with Cool&Fresh, at Marks & Spencer
Soft and comfortable, these cotton rich sports socks are naturally breatheable and absorbent, keeping feet dry and comfy. A reinforced heel and toe gives extra durability

Santiago Side Table, at Marks & Spenser
H56 x W50 x D50cm This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Portfolio Mid Length Zig Zag Print Skirt, at Marks n Spencer
Part of Portfolio's Shades of Paradise trend, featuring the earthy tones of nature combined with rich, tropical highlights. Elegant and feminine styling makes this a chic summer look

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

Disney Winnie the Pooh Wrap Pack, at M & S
2 sheets, 2 tags Each sheet: 495 x 695mm Tags: 80 x 55mm (folded) Disney

Roberts iDream DAB/FM Clock Radio with iPod Dock, at Marks & Spensers
Dock for iPod - listen to your iPod whilst it charges DAB/FM wavebands with 20 station presets Infra red remote control Auto time set Two independent alarms - wake to iPod, radio or buzzer Adjustable Sleep and Snooze timers Large easy to read LCD display with blue display backlight and multi stage dimmer Menu display/selection of all major functions Search /Manual tuning Aux input socket for iPod/MP3 playback Headphone socket iPod not included 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

2 Pure Cotton Fitted Cot Sheets, at Marks & Spencer
Pack of 2 Fitted design Plain, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Recycled Cool Comfort Waist Slip, at Mark's & Spencer
This innovative slip is cling resistant and designed to keep you feeling cool, dry and comfortable. It's made with polyester from recycled plastic waste instead of oil. Using recycled materials helps to conserve the earth's natural resources and protect the environment for future generations

Fairtrade Pure Cotton V-Neck T-Shirt, at Marks & Spencers
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

Barbera D'Asti 2006 - Case of 12, at M & S
Style: Medium bodied Grape variety: Barbera Country of origin: Italy Closure: Synthetic closure 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

2" Longer Sleeve Pure Cotton Bold Stripe Shirt, at Mark & Spencers
Smart and stylish, this 2" longer sleeve stripe shirt is made from pure cotton

Traditional Shed 80th Birthday Card, at M&S
Cover text: 80, Happy Birthday Inside Message: Blank for your own message This card is made with material from FSC certified sustainable forests. Protecting the world's forests for the future Approx size: 175 x 126mm

Per Una Pure Cotton Spot Jaquard Pyjamas, at Mark's & Spencer
Modern and feminine, these pretty spot jaquard pyjamas are made from soft pure cotton. So you can relax in comfort and style. Part of Per Una's sleepwear collection

PlayStation®3 Tomb Raider: Underworld, at Marks and Spencer
Master your surroundings: Reach new heights with the broadest range of acrobatic abilities and utilize objects within the environment to uncover new paths to explore Explore epic and unknown worlds: Discover ancient mysteries of the underworld hidden within the coast of Thailand, frozen islands of the Arctic Sea, the jungles of Mexico, and more What Can Lara Do?: Lara's skill-set has been drastically expanded to incorporate actions you would expect of a fearless, athletic adventurer. Lara now performs 1700 moves and is a far more intuitive character to controlWhat Can Lara Do?: Lara's skill-set has been drastically expanded to incorporate actions you would expect of a fearless, athletic adventurer. Lara now performs 1700 moves and is a far more intuitive character to control Treacherous and unpredictable challenges: Each level is an elaborate multi-stage puzzle masked within an interactive environmental playground offering more flexibility over how the area is solved New range of combat options: Choose to pacify or kill, target multiple enemies at once with the new dual-target system, and shoot with one hand while suspended with the other New state-of-the-art gear: Utilize the latest technology in Lara's upgraded inventory to navigate the world including: Sonar map: A revolutionary new tool that emits an active sonar ping to create a 3D image of Lara's surroundings, perfect for uncovering hidden items and locations Multi-purpose grapple: A claw-like device with a high-tension cable designed for climbing, rappelling, performing wall runs and manipulating objects within the environment All-terrain motorbike: Built to handle everything from the jungles of Mexico to the icy glaciers of the Arctic 2007 Sony Computer Entertainment Europe 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 You must be 16 years of age or over to purchase this product This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more *Must be returned with the tamper seal intact for full refund, ESRB Rating: Mature

Road Monsters Fire Vehicles Set, at Marks and Spencers
Suitable for ages 3+ 5 fire-fighting vehicles Includes a fire truck, fire inspector's car, van, pick-up and a helicopter Imaginative play This product conforms to the EN71 and the Toy Safety Directive, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Chinese Cooking School Recipe Book, at Marks and Spencer
Cooking School is a new series of cookbooks that will take your tastebuds on a global adventure ! Aimed at helping you to re-create the world's most popular cuisines in your own kitchen, the easy-to-follow, step-by-step recipes are suitable for both novice and accomplished home cooks. The art of chinese cooking has evolved over many centuries, yet it has never been more popular in teh West than it is today. Chinese cooks have developed tasty dishes for every possible occasion - from dainty wontons to colourful stir-fries and from vibrant vegetable dishes to fruity desserts. Cooking school chinese will teach you how to make all the classic dishes, plus many new and contemporary twists on old favourites, with helpful hints and tips for achieving perfect results every time. Get cooking and bring a taste of china into your home !

Blue Harbour Pure Cotton Block Stripe Rugby Top, at Marks & Spencer
Casual and relaxed, this block stripe rugby top is made from pure cotton so it's soft, breathable and comfortable to wear

Autograph Silk Rich Pleated Plunge Bra, at M&S
Elegant and feminine this luxurious bra is made from soft silk rich fabric, finished with a contrast lace trim. Gentle padding and underwiring give a flattering uplifted shape. Beautiful exclusive lingerie

Faceted Button Clip-On Earrings, at Mark's & Spencer
Clip-on fastening Faceted button design

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

Thinking that most Motor 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 Motor Insurance policy doesn't actually cover you for what you thought it did, or it takes your Motor Insurance company months and months to argue over whether to pay you or not. Fortunately M&S Money Motor Insurance is not like that at all, and when you compare M&S Motor 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 Spenser 5 Star Premier cover Motor Insurance (correct at May 2009), which are quite often not included with comparable Motor Insurance plans from companies such as Direct Line, Sainsbury's, or Tescos Direct:

• 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 Motor 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.