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&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 & Spensers, through its M&S Finance website, offer a range of financial products which would not look out of place in many banks, including M&S Car Insurance, M&S Property Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, savings products, M&S Credit Cards, M&S Loans, and much more besides.

There are lots of ways to save money using M&S Finance. Not least of these is M&S Standard Car Insurance. With M&S Finance you can keep the cost of your Car 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 Car Insurance cover from M&S Finance, which also has other features.

Nonetheless, many features are standard to both the Premier and the Standard Car Insurance policies on offer from M & S, 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 Car Insurance from M&S Financial Services, you get more, and you pay less.

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

• M&S Insurance: M&S Car Insurance, M&S Property 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 Finance in the event of a query, or an insurance claim, is as easy as picking up the phone, or visiting the M&S Finance website.

Pure Cotton Flat Front Summer Trousers, at M&S
With a modern, flat front silhouette combining comfort and style, these dapper trousers add versatile appeal to your formal wardrobe, maintaining your smart look throughout the day

Margaret River Cabernet Shiraz 2007 - Case of 6, at Marks n Spencer
Style: Medium bodied Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz & Merlot Country of origin: Australia Closure: Natural cork Suitable for vegetarians Bottle: 6 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 14% vol. Alcohol units per bottle: 10.5 Alcohol units per 125ml: 1.8 Contains sulphites You must be 18 or over to purchase this product This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

Olivia Bedstead, at Marks and Spencer
Headboard H111cm Endboard H86cm Dbl: L204 x W144cm 5ft: L214 x W 159cm 6ft: L214 x W189cm Hand-forged solid bronzed steel frame Bronze powder finish Sprung beach slats to ensure excellent support, Mattress sold separately Delivered flatpack due to size Free eco-friendly delivery to your home. Our crews will unpack, assemble and position the item This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Collezione Luxury Pure Cotton Flat Front Trousers, at Marks & Spencer
Add a smart dimension to your formal wardrobe with these flat front trousers. Allowing for more hip room, they provide a clean, crisp and well turned out look

Pure Cotton Lightning McQueen T-Shirt, at Marks and Spencer
A must for Disney's Cars fans, this crew neck t-shirt in soft cotton features a fun motif of the poplular character Lightning McQueen. Practical, easycare fashion

Jersey Bootleg Trousers with Flower Belt, at Marks&Spencer
Comfortable, hardwearing bootleg trousers with stretch. Practical and easycare, they're an ideal choice for school. They come with the flower belt shown

Pure Cotton Collegiate Baseball Cap, at Marks and Spencer
Whether you're keeping the sun out of your eyes during the big game or simply relaxing in the park, the baseball cap is a true summer essential

Château Peymartin St Julien 2003 - Case of 6, at M&S
Style: Full Bodied Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot Country of origin: France Closure: Natural cork Suitable for vegetarians Bottle: 6 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 13% vol. Alcohol units per bottle: 9.8 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

Classic Collection Pure Cotton Short Sleeve Top, at Marks and Spencer
Feminine and pretty, this floral print top will give your look an instant lift. It looks lovely worn with plain skirts or trousers in coordinating colours from the Classic collection

Italian Pure Silk Spot Design Tie, at Marks & Spencer
Combining classic silk quality with a contemporary design, this stunning tie will make a valuable and versatile addition to your formal wardrobe. Made in Italy

Petite Baby Elephant Bookend, at Marks and Spencer
Suitable for ages 0-3 years This product conforms to the EN71 and the Toy Safety Directive, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Autograph Leather Lace-Up Gibson Shoes, at Marks & Spencers
Round toe Lace-up Contrast stitch Low heel

Flat Front Trousers with Wool, at Mark & Spensers
Smart and stylish, these trousers are made from a hardwearing wool blend with stretch. An ideal choice for work or everyday wear

5 Pairs of °Climate Control Plain Briefs, at Marks n 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

Ultimate Non Iron Pure Cotton Neutral Stripe Shirt, at Marks & Spencers
An innovative shirt in pure cotton. A special fabric finish and clever construction mean there is no need to iron this smart easycare shirt

Post Surgery Modal Rich Floral Print Bra, at Marks & Spencers
Pretty and feminine, this modal bra is made from soft microfibre fabric and gives a gently supportive fit and a flattering shape. It features 2 secure prosthesis pockets

Chateau Richemont White 2008 - Case of 12, at M+S
Style: Dry Grape variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc Country of origin: France Closure: Screw cap Suitable for vegetarians Bottle: 12 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 13% vol. Alcohol units per bottle: 9.8 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

Pure Cotton Stripe Shorties, at Marks n Spencer
Soft and breathable, pure cotton pyjamas are the natural choice for a comfortable night's sleep

Easycare Long Sleeve Poplin Shirt, at Marks & Spencers
Great value for a great shirt. Smart and classic for everyday finesse

Easy Iron Pure Cotton Oxford Honeycomb Shirt, at Marks and Spencer
Stylish and innovative, this pure cotton easycare shirt is quick and easy to iron for a smart crisp look

Per Una Open Front Asymmetric Drape Cardigan, at Marks and Spencers
A stylish open front asymmetric cardigan in soft fabric featuring angular ribbed trim

Casino Royale Blu-ray DVD, at Marks and Spencers
Rating Suitable for 12 years and over,

First Readers The Three Billy Goats Gruff, at Marks & Spencer
The Billy Goats Gruff want to eat the green grass on the other side of the bridge. But can they face up to the troll? He is waiting for the three goats!

Cashmilon™ Long Sleeve Jumper, at Marks n Spencer
Fashionable and flattering, this plain jumper is made from supersoft cashmilon™ and features long sleeves

Classic Ceramic Tumbler, at Mark & Spensers
Ceramic tumbler Chrome effect Wall mountable H14 x W11 x D10cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Pacific Large 2 Seater Sofa AU09 Newness, at M & S
Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Autograph Illusions Dark Circle Concealer, at Mark's & Spencer
Formulated with Haloxyl™ to help reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness This concealer also helps reduce the appearance of fine lines Hypo-allergenic Available in 3 shades

Sleeveless Thermal Vest, at Marks & Spensers
Soft, warm and cosy, this cotton blend thermal vest is designed to give comfy insulation, perfect for chilly weather

Bead Trim Hipster Bikini Bottoms, at Marks and Spencers
Feminine and delicate, these fashionable tankini briefs features a bead trim. The ultimate in poolside glamour

Short Sleeve Plain Jersey Body, at Marks and Spencer
This plain scoop neck body is a casual style essential. Perfect for wearing under trousers or skirts for a contemporary look

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 Spencer 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.