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 & Spencer are so useful. M&S Financial Services 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 Insurance policies. Usually, UK Buildings 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 Financial Services Buildings 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 Financial Services Buildings Insurance than you will anywhere else, and you may even pay less with M&S.

M&S Financial Services 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 Buildings 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 Buildings 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 Financial Services Insurance does not have these insurance limits, excepting liability and cash cover, and therefore you can not be under-insured.

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 Spencers 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 Spenser, through its M&S Financial Services 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.

Ring Trim Hipster Bikini Bottoms, at Marks n Spencer
Pretty and feminine, these flattering bikini bottoms are designed in the latest shape. The ultimate in poolside glamour

5 Pure Cotton High Waist Full Briefs, at Marks & Spencers
This pack of cotton briefs is outstanding value and makes a great way to stock up your underwear drawer

Adored Comfort Pansy Lace Shorts, at Marks and Spenser
Delicate and pretty, these briefs are made from the softest fabric and trims, so they feel blissfully comfortable to wear. The modern shorts style gives a flattering shapely fit. Feminine everyday lingerie

Autograph Pure Linen Suit Trousers, at Marks & Spencer
Perfect for smart occasions, these classic linen suit trousers make a fashionable and practical choice

Perfect 60 Denier Opaque Tights, at Marks and Spencers
Bold, colourful opaques are the perfect way to give any outfit this season's look. Pick up your pair today

Per Una Bronzing Powder Brush, at Marks n Spencer
Hypo-allergenic Natural shade

Pocket Yoga, at M & S
Bringing your body, mind and spirit into balance and harmony has never been so much fun thanks to this pocket size yoga book jam packed with fun exercises and tips to help give you a good workout

Limited Collection Linen Rich Ruffle Dress, at Marks & Spenser
Part of Limited Collection's Club Rio trend - get tropical in a heady mix of hot, sun-drenched hues and modern graphic prints with fresh white accents. A fashion-conscious holiday look

Golf Keyring, at Marks and Spencers
You'll never lose your keys again with this eye-catching keyring and it's golf design

Pompenette Terracotta, at Marks n Spencer
Add a dash of gorgeous colour to any outside setting with this pompenette, planted in a simple terracotta pot. Colour of pompenette varies Available for delivery from 1st August to 30th September 2009

Ultimate Stormwear™ Pure Wool Single Breasted 3 Button Plain Jacket, 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

Clarendon Large 2-Seater Sofa, at Mark's & Spencer
H91 x W233 x D103cm Seat H52cm (all dimensions are approximate) Seat cushions filled with Quallofil ExtraLife filling, an advanced 3-dimensional polyester fibre that maintains the cushions' look and shape. Click here to Find out more Other cushions filled with polyester fibre. Gives a soft sit with a lived-in look, which will soften and relax even further with use. Fibre is sewn into channels within the interior to prevent settlement in one area of the cushion Frame made from solid hardwood. All main joints are glued and screwed to give the frame strength Frames are rigorously tested with 95kg weight equivalent and exceed standards set for heavy domestic use Feet are castors All of our fabrics are treated with Stain-Defence& trade; - a stain resistant finish - at no extra cost. Fabrics are tested for resistance to wear and fading Detailed care instructions are included 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 Free swatch service: Order up to 6 free swatch samples of any fabric to help you choose your upholstery by calling 08457 624 624 Please note: Images displayed here act as a guide and may not be representative of the finished item. Fabrics are overlayed onto model images, so actual seams and pattern match may differ from what is shown. Leather furniture, in particular, has more seams than fabric upholstery due to the nature of the material, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Classic Collection Flower Scarf Neck Top, at Marks & Spencer
Modern and stylish, this versatile top is made from soft easycare fabric and features a threaded foral scarf neckline. A fashionable style with a comfortable, flattering fit

Autograph Weekend Long Sleeve Polo Neck Top, at M&S
Sophisticated and modern, this polo neck top is beautifully designed and cut to flatter for the best in contemporary style

Wide Stripe Padded Bra, at M&S
Feminine and pretty, this wide stripe bra is ideal for everyday wear. Underwiring and padding give an uplifted and enhanced natural shape

3 Pairs Of 60 Denier Opaque Tights, at Marks & Spencer
These essential 60 denier opaque tights are outstanding value. They're made with added stretch and a reinforced toe for comfort and durability

Autograph Pure Silk Stripe Tie, at Marks and Spenser
Fashionable and contemporary, this pure silk tie is part of our exclusive Autograph collection. Designer style and luxury at high street prices

Compaq Presario SR5707UK-M Desktop PC Bundle, at M&S
Operating system:Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit Processor:Intel Celeron Dual Core processor E1400, Intel G31 express chipset Memory:2GB DDR2-SDRAM, 2 DIMM sockets Storage:320GB SATA 3G Hard Disk Drive (7200 rpm), Up to 13GB partition for system recovery DVD writer SATA DVD RAM and Double Layer supporting LightScribe technology, Create silkscreen-quality disc labels direct from your PC with LightScribe: Just burn, flip, burn 15 in 1 memory card reader Communication:Ethernet 10/100BT integrated network interface Video:Intel Graphic Media Accelerator 3100, Integrated Graphics (VGA port) 128 MB dedicated memory, up to 287 MB total available graphics memory as allocated by Windows Vista Sound:High Definition Audio 5.1 (2 front audio ports, 3 rear analog audio ports) Included accessories:PS/2 keyboard and optical mouse Optional accessories:LCD Monitors (buy separately): Compaq WF1907v 19-inch Wide Flat Panel Monitor, Compaq W220q 22-inch Wide Flat Panel Monitor Ports and Expandability: 2 external optical drive bays, 1 internal HDD bay, 1 PCI-Express 16x (free), 1 PCI (1 free) and 2 PCI-Express 1x (2 free), 6 USB 2.0 ports (2 in front) Software: Microsoft Works and Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 60-Day Trial Version, Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0, Windows Mail, Adobe Reader 8.0 HP MediaSmart Suite: Music, Video, DVD, Photo, HP Total Care Advisor, Photosmart Essential, Windows Photo Gallery, Windows Media Player, Windows Movie Maker, Windows DVD Maker, Cyberlink DVDSuite, Muvee AutoProducer, EasyBits Magic Desktop, HP Games Console with hours of free game play, featuring EA Spore Creature Creator, Windows Media Center Service and Support:Recovery partition (including possibility to recover system, applications and drivers separately) Optional re-allocation of recovery partition Recovery CD/DVD creation tool Symantec Norton Internet Security 2009 (60 days live update) Weight:9.53 kg, packed: 14 kg Dimensions:16.9 x 42.6 x 37.7cm Warranty: 1 year, pick-up and return, parts and labour You can expand the warranty coverage of your product up to 3 years

Button Detail Jumper with Lambswool, at Marks&Spencer
A touch of lambswool adds warmth and softness to this fashionable jumper. A modern style that works dressed up or down

3 Pairs of Cotton Rich Spot & Stripe Design Socks, at Marks and Spencer
These classic cotton rich socks are soft, breathable and comfortable. Added stretch gives a great fit

Square Neck Short Sleeve Tab Dress with Belt, at Marks & Spencers
Chic and stylish, this square neck dress features tab detail. A great choice for work or smart occasions and it's machine washable for added convenience

Photo Bear Age 1 Birthday Card, at Marks & Spenser
Cover text: 1 happy birthday... to you Inside message: With love This card is made with material from FSC certified sustainable forests. Protecting the world's forests for the future Approx size: 175 x 127mm

Tortoiseshell Retro Plastic Sunglasses, at M&S
With full UV protection and a flattering modern design, these smart sunglasses will see you through the summer in style

Sony Cyber-shot™ DSC-W275 Digital Camera, at Marks and Spencers
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

Triple Layer Carrot Cake, at Marks & Spensers
14 Slices pre-cut Serves 14 Ready to eat 2.4kg Not suitable for nut allergy sufferers Suitable for vegetarians As featured on page 52 in the food to order brochure Order by 5pm to collect in 5 days Available for collection in the majority of our UK mainland stores

Uva Mira Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 - Case of 6, at Marks n Spencer
Style: Medium Dry Grape variety: 52% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon Country of origin: South Africa Closure: Natural cork Suitable for vegetarians and vegans Bottle: 6 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 15% vol. Alcohol units per bottle: 11.3 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

Retro Pedal Bin, at Mark's & Spencer
Contrast pedal Classic design Circular shape, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Schoolwear Plus Fit Stain Defence™ Non-Iron Trousers With Stormwear™, at Marks & Spencers
These larger sized trousers are treated with Stain Defence™ and Stormwear™ technologies, so they repel water and stains. They're non-iron for convenience - for best results, machine wash, tumble dry and hang straight away View Plus Schoolwear Size Guide. Find out more

Pure Cotton Stripe Shrug Mock Layer Top, at Marks and Spencer
A stripe shrug mock layer top adds a fashionable touch to this pure soft cotton top

Botteghino Chianti 2006 - Case of 6, at Mark's & Spencer
Style: Dry, medium bodied Grape variety: 100% Sangiovese Country of origin: Italy Closure: Natural cork Suitable for vegetarians Bottle: 6 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

Besides Marks and Spencers Car Insurance, M&S Financial Services Credit Cards and other financial products, M&S Financial Services 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 Financial Services 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 Financial Services 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.