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 & Spencer, through its Marks & Spencer 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.

Besides Marks & Spencer Motor Insurance, Marks & Spencer Money Credit Cards and other financial products, Marks & Spencer Money Household 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 Marks & Spencer Money 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 Marks & Spencer Money Premier Household Insurance and Standard Household 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.

There are lots of ways to save money using Marks & Spencer Money. Not least of these is Marks & Spensers Standard Motor Insurance. With Marks & Spencer Money you can keep the cost of your Motor Insurance down by choosing Standard cover, over Premier Cover. UK Vehicle can then be added to your policy as optional extras, if you wanted to.

If you're thinking of adding both Breakdown Cover and Motor Legal Protection, then it would cost less to upgrade to Premier Motor Insurance cover from Marks & Spencer Money, which also has other features.

Nonetheless, many features are standard to both the Premier and the Standard Motor Insurance policies on offer from MarksandSpencer, and these include: Courtesy car (subject to availability); Loss, theft, damage and destruction of vehicle; Loss or damage to personal property in vehicle; Personal accident cover up to £10,000; Windscreen cover (£75 excess); a 24 hour claims service, and many other options as standard on each policy. In short, with Motor Insurance from Marks & Spencer Money, you get more, and you pay less.

No VPL Floral Print Low Rise Shorts, at Marks & Spensers
For the ultimate no-show look, these stretchy seamfree shorts are made from super smooth lace with bonded edges. They don't dig in and there are no irritating labels, so they feel incredibly comfortable to wear

Gold Plated Marquis Tennis Bracelet, at Marks and Spencers
Leaf link design Diamant detail Clasp fastening

Pure Cotton Floral Print Pleated Skirt, at Marks and Spencer
Pretty and feminine, this knee length pleated skirt is a look you'll love. Stylish, practical and fashionable

Leather Tab Purse, at Marks&Spencer
This stylish purse is made from real leather with reinforced stitching and a secure popper fastening. A high quality and chic essential

Pure Cotton Straight Leg Jeans with Belt, at Marks and Spencer
These straight leg jeans in pure cotton are great value. A practical, easycare style

Wood Collection - Tapered Bin, at Marks and Spenser
Round design Box combing joints Wooden H30.5 x W26 x D26cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Classic Collection Spot Print Nightdress, at Marks & Spenser
Fresh and feminine, this button fastened long nightdress is comfortable to sleep in and features a pretty floral embroidered design

Autograph Bone China Cup & Saucer, at Marks & Spencers
Matching cup and saucer Plain Cup height: 7.5cm Saucer diameter: 16cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Hannah Montana A5 Academic Diary, at Marks and Spencer
1 diary (week to view) Disney

Single Pleat Plain Trousers with Wool, at M&S
A casual relaxed look, these trousers sit at the natural waist. They're roomy in the seat, thigh and knee with a straight leg

Autograph Ace Cutout Sunglasses, at Marks and Spencer
Providing essential protection for the eyes, these stylish and wearable shades will flatter most face shapes

Stunt Kite, at Marks and Spencer
Aerodynamic and durable Strong and lightweight, made from Ripstop Nylon Easy to assemble Supplied in a neat kite bag 35 metre twin line Assembled kite size: L65 x W125cm This product conforms to EN71 and the Toy Safety Directive, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Per Una Waterfall Front Cap Sleeve Blouse, at Marks and Spencers
A stylish scoop neck blouse featuring waterfall front design and a camisole

Per Una Long Sleeve Cardigan with Wool, at M&S
A fashionable long sleeve cardigan in textured fabric. Ribbed detail makes it extra stylish.

Girls' Fashion Schoolwear - Stain Defence™ Non-Iron Embroidered Skirt, at Marks and Spencer
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

The Floral Collection Lavender Drawer Spray, at Marks and Spencer
3 in 1 body, room and linen spray 25ml 20 drawer scenter cards This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

Grow Your Own Veg By Carol Klein & The Royal Horticultural Society, at M & S
In this book to accompany the BBC TV series 'Grow Your Own Veg!', TV presenter and highly-regarded gardener Carol Klein creates a lavishly illustrated, practical and inspiring beginner's handbook to everything anyone ever needs to know to grow vegetables, salads and herbs all year round

Pure Cotton Stripe Thomas The Tank Engine Polo Shirt, at M+S
Fans of Thomas the tank engine will love this cotton polo shirt featuring the popular character. A practical, easycare style

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

2 Halves of Dressed Fresh Canadian Lobster, at Marks and Spencers
Serves 2 2 halves Ready to eat 184g total weight As featured on page 22 of the Food to Order brochure Order by 5pm to collect in 5 days Available for collection in the majority of our UK mainland stores

Safe Sun Lobster Swimwear, at Marks and Spencers
Play it safe with this cute sunsuit and desert cap set. It is designed for good coverage while the comfy stretch fabric lets him run around freely

125 Years Luxury Pure Wool Stripe Trousers, at Marks&Spencer
Part of the Commemorative Collection, celebrating 125 years of M&S. Featuring smart styles inspired by our archives

Winter Weight Pure Cotton Flat Front Twill Trousers, at Marks & Spencer
The perfect choice for colder days, these smart trousers are made from warm, hardwearing fabric

Portfolio Short Sleeve Ponte Dress, at Marks and Spencer
Pretty and feminine, this ponte dress features empire line. A flattering, stylish look

Autograph Bronzer Brush, at Marks & Spenser
Handmade Enables you to achieve a controlled light and even coverage

Per Una Full Panel Pearl Skirt, at Marks and Spencer
A colourful ankle length skirt in a soft cotton blend featuring a stripe design

Younger Girls' Pure Cotton Heart Print Baseball Cap, at Marks & Spencer
Fashionable and fabulous, this baseball hat is a great choice for fun in the sun

Classic Collection Floral Print Nightdress, at Marks & Spenser
Fresh and feminine, this nightdress is made from a soft cotton blend so it feels comfortable to sleep in. The floral print adds a pretty touch

Modern Blocks Bathroom Mats, at MarksandSpencer
Block design Thick texture Bathmat: L80 x W50cm Pedestal: L55 x W50cm Bathmat and pedestal mat must be purchased separately, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

The Cotton Collection Cotton Bud, Bath and Body Duo, at Mark's & Spencer
Bath foam: 160ml Body cream: 75ml Drift away with our PH balanced bath foam to cleanse and soften your skin Smooth away your day with our moisturising body cream to soften and nourish your skin

Marks & Spencer 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 Marks & Spencer 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 Spencer 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, 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 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 Marks & Spencer Money UK and European Breakdown Cover, since it covers you as a passenger too.