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 & Spencers are so useful. M&S Finance 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, House Insurance policies. Usually, UK House 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 House 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 House Insurance than you will anywhere else, and you may even pay less with M&S.

M&S Finance 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 Finance 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 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 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 Finance UK and European Breakdown Cover, since it covers you as a passenger too.

Besides MarksandSpencer Car Insurance, M&S Finance Credit Cards and other financial products, M&S Finance House 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 Finance 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 Finance Premier House Insurance and Standard House 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.

Big & Tall Twin Pleat Luxury Wool Trousers, at Mark & Spensers
Smart and stylish, these twin pleat trousers are made from fine quality wool with cashmere for exceptional softness. A practical, hardwearing and fashionable choice

Pure Cotton Sports Shorts, at Marks and Spencer
Elasticated tie waist shorts in soft brushed cotton for comfort. Ideal for PE

Pure Cotton Long Sleeve Mini Check Shirt, at Marks and Spencer
Smart and stylish, this long sleeve shirt is made from cool comfortable cotton and features mini check design

125 Years A5 Diary, at Marks and Spencers
Approx size: 153 x 212mm

Per Una Multi Bead Necklace, at Marks & Spencer
Button lock fastening Multi bead design Necklace length 63cm

°Climate Control Pillow Protector, at Marks and Spencer
Keeps you in a comfort zone all night long Absorbs body heat, releasing when you need it Made using outlast technology, originally developed for NASA, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Autograph Weekend Cotton Rich Straight Leg Jeans, at Marks and Spencer
Part of Autograph Weekend's Sloane trend. Casual yet sophisticated, this is weekend dressing at its most stylish. Featuring a cool colour palette of crisp navy, neutrals and red, this is an effortlessly chic look for the new season

Ultimate Pure Wool Flat Front Stripe Trousers, at Marks and Spencer
This high performance suit is made to work as hard as you do. It's extra durable and added stretch keeps it in great shape while giving you enhanced comfort and ease of movement

Leather Stitch Detail Square Roller Buckle Belt, at Mark's & Spencer
This leather roller buckle belt is ideal for wearing with casual styles

Perfect Fit Memory Foam Plunge Bra, at Marks & Spenser
The Perfect Fit plunge bra offers the ultimate comfort fit with its specially developed cups that use memory foam technology. As it warms against your skin, this beautifully soft bra moulds to your body creating the perfect natural shape whilst providing comfort and support

Blue Harbour Stormwear™ + Chinos with Fairtrade Cotton, at Marks n Spencer
Look below to see a video clip about Fairtrade Fairtrade certified cotton is a new initiative that we're the first major high street retailer to support. Like all Fairtrade products, it helps local farmers to invest in developing their own communities

Pure Cotton Spot Print Cropped Pyjama Bottoms, at M&S
Pretty and feminine, these spot print cropped pyjama bottoms are made from soft breathable cotton for a comfortable night's sleep

Step Ladder Bookcase - Natural, at Marks n 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

Leather Formal Square Buckle Belt, at M+S
Add a smart finishing touch with this leather square buckle belt

Sing Along Spider Sound Book, at Marks & Spencer
Children will love pressing the button and singing along to 'Incy Wincy Spider with this illustrated sound book

3 Water Hyacinth Round Storage Baskets, at Marks and Spencer
Set of 3 Double contrast handles Woven design Large basket: H35 x 42cm diam Medium basket: H32 x 37cm diam Small basket: H28 x 32cm diam, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Per Una Multi Weave Scarf with Wool, at MarksandSpencer
Keep out the chills in fashionable style with this warm soft weave scarf in a modern chunky cable multicoloured knit.

Harry Potter School Uniform Dressing Up Kit, at Marks & Spencer
This Gryffindor school uniform costume is a must-have for fans of Harry Potter

Classic Collection Neck Tie Stripe Top, at Marks & Spencers
Modern and stylish, this versatile top is made from soft easycare fabric and features a pretty stripe design. A fashionable style with a comfortable, flattering fit

Autograph Essentials Short Sleeve Ribbed Jacket, at Marks and Spencers
Chic and stylish, this single breasted jacket is tailored to fit and flatter. A great choice for work or smart occasions. Exclusive, luxurious and beautiful

Autograph Flat Front Navy Stripe Trousers, at Marks and Spencers
Our Autograph suits are made from finer fabrics with superior attention to detail, giving you the ultimate in sharp, sophisticated style

Per Una Multi Heart Cluster Rope Necklace, at M+S
Tie fastening Multi heart cluster design Rope necklace Necklace length: 78cm

First Readers Sleeping Beauty, at Marks and Spencers
Someone forgot to invite the wicked fairy to the princess's christening party. She is so cross that she puts a curse on the young princess. Who will wake the beautiful sleeping princess?

M400 Mattress - Medium, at Marks & Spenser
Single (3ft): W90 x L190cm Double (4ft 6in): W135 x L190cm King Size (5ft): W150 x L200cm Super King Size (6ft): W180 x L200cm Mattress depth: 24cm Filling made from resilient foam and polyester fibre Further filling layers of cotton and lambs wool keeps you warm in summer and cool in winter Two rows of hand side-stitching give edge-to-edge support. This allows you full use of the sleeping surface Individually pocketed springs Spring Count: 1054 Anti-allergy protected for the life of the mattress Does not require turning Manufactured in the UK A sample mattress is subjected to 3 rigorous tests to ensure it remains comfortable. Surface fabric is rubbed 15,000 times against a hard surface to test resistance to wear. Mattress is pounded by a machine 80,000 times to replicate the movements of a human torso and subjected to 20,000 rolls of a roller machine to simulate the rolling motion of a sleeping person Free eco-friendly home delivery. Our crews will unpack, assemble and position the item This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Sony Cyber-shot™ DSC-W275 Digital Camera, at Marks and Spencer
Pixels: 12.1 megapixels Zoom: 5x optical zoom lens, 31x smart zoom, 10x precision digital zoom Screen: 2.7 inches ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 Dimensions: H56.6 x W97.6 x D22.6mm Weight: 135g Weight with accessories: 164g Video: Motion JPEG and MPEG4 movie recording at approximately 30 frames per second PictBridge Enabled: Yes Jacks: Multi use Terminal with HD, USB 2.0 Hi-Speed Face Detection optimizes focus and exposure for clearer portraits HD Slideshow with music offers fun image display with effects and music on LCD or connected HD TV SteadyShot image stabilization reduces image blur during handheld shooting Fun in-camera retouching functions: image trim and red-eye correction Picture Motion Browser software simplifies image management, searches and viewing on PC Comes with a free camera case 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

Older Boys' Pure Cotton Transformers Bumblebee Shorties, at Marks and Spencer
A must for fans of Transformers these pure cotton shorties feature the popular character Bumblebee

2 Pairs of Older Boys' Cotton Rich Bart Simpson Socks, at Marks and Spencer
A must for fans of The Simpsons, these socks feature Bart skateboarding

Boys' Cotton Rich Jogging Bottoms, at Marks & Spencers
Relaxed and comfortable, these casual joggers are made from soft cotton with a stretch waist. A practical easycare choice, ideal for PE

Easycare Short Sleeve Fine Pinstripe Shirt, at Marks and Spencers
Smart and stylish, this easycare shirt makes a practical choice for everyday wear

Autograph Cotton Blend Stripe V-Neck Jumper, at Marks & Spencer
Fashionable and contemporary, this stripe v-neck jumper is part of our exclusive Autograph collection. A great design, superior fabric and careful attention to detail makes it exceptionally stylish and comfortable

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 House 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 House 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.