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 & 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, 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 Financial Services 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 Financial Services 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 M & S 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 Mark & Spensers, 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 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 and Spencers Motor Insurance, M&S Financial Services Credit Cards and other financial products, M&S Financial Services 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 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 M&S purchases are also protected while you take them home.

Also, on both M&S Financial Services 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.

10 Gold Party Text Invitations, at Marks & Spencer
Cover text: Party Inside message: Dear..... You are invited to a party on..... time..... place..... Hope you can come..... RSVP..... This card is made with material from FSC certified sustainable forests. Protecting the world's forests for the future Approx size: 120 x 120mm

Silver Plated Abalone Necklace & Earrings Set, at Marks n Spencer
Y shaped necklace Drop style earrings Abalone effect This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

Double Pocket Lined Holdall Bag, at Marks and Spencer
Stylish and practical, this holdall is ideal for business or weekend travel

Pure Cotton Long Sleeve Check Shirt, at Mark's & Spencer
Smart and stylish, this pure cotton check shirt is outstanding value!

3 Non-Iron Short Sleeve Blouses, at Marks & Spencer
A great value 3-pack of school blouses, non-iron for convenience. Taped reinforced sleeves give a smooth neat look

Blue Harbour Pure Cotton V-Neck Jumper, at Marks & Spencer
Fashionable and practical, this v-neck jumper is made from pure cotton. It's designed to keep its shape and feel soft and comfortable to wear

Silver Plated Tiny Floral Sparkle Earrings, at Marks & Spensers
Butterfly fastening Diamant detail Floral design For hygiene reasons, refunds will only be given in accordance with your legal rights

JBL On Stage™ 200ID - Portable Speaker Dock for iPod®, at Mark's & Spencer
Compatibility: All docking versions of the iPod (including nano G3, iPod classic, iPod touch and iPhone), MP3 and CD players, and desktop and laptop computers (all platforms) Input Requirement: Main connection docking connector for iPod; auxiliary connection 3.5mm (1/8") stereo mini jack High-performance loudspeaker dock for iPod Full iPod* and iTunes compatibility Easy-to-use music and navigation controls and IR remote Digital power and DSP (digital signal processing) Combines many proprietary technologies to provide clear, accurate sound with astonishing bass Frequency Response 40Hz 20kHz Input Impedance >10k Ohms Signal-to-Noise Ratio >85dB Voltage Input 110V 240V AC Dimensions 359mm x 64mm x 110mm Weight 0.7kg

Domaine Régismont Merlot Cabernet 2007 - Case of 12, at Marks and Spencer
Style: Full Bodied Grape variety: Merlot, Cabernet Country of origin: France Closure: Synthetic closure Suitable for vegetarians and vegans Bottle: 12 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

Pheasant Gully Chardonnay Semillion 2008 - Case of 12, at Mark's & Spencer
Style: Dry Grape variety: Chardonnay Country of origin: Australia 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

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

Classic Duckling and Bear Baby Keepsake Box, at Mark's & Spencer
Pack contains: 1 keepsake box "This little bear went out one day over the hill and far away... " slogan Approx size: H235 x W315 x D57mm

Recycled 10.5 Tog Anti-Allergy Duvet, at Marks and Spencer
Endorsed by the British Allergy Foundation Proven protection wash after wash 10.5 tog Comes in single, double, king, and super king sizes, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Travel Soap Leaves Pack, at Marks and Spencer
2 pocket size containers 1 laundry soap bar 1 face and body soap bar

7 Pure Cotton Assorted Heart Print Bodysuits, at Marks n Spencer
Cute and practical, this pack of 7 bodysuits is great value. Popper fastenings and envelope necklines make quick changes easy and the soft cotton fabric will keep her feeling comfy and happy

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

Per Una Check Lace Brazilian Knickers, at Marks & Spensers
Feminine and delicate, these stylish brazilian knickers feature a lace design. The modern Brazilian style gives a close fit and a flattering shapely look. Pretty everyday fashion

24 Mini Hot Pies, at Marks & Spencers
Contains 24 pieces Serves 6 Ready to cook Suitable for freezing 700g total weight As featured on page 12 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

5 Cotton Rich Card Suit Print Shorts, at Marks & Spencer
These card suit print cotton rich shorts are perfect for everyday wear. Added stretch gives a comfortable fit and shape retention

Kitchen Tall Storage Unit, at Marks & Spencers
H177 x W50 x D60cm 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

Blue Night Shiraz Cabernet 2007 - Case of 12, at Marks and Spencer
Style: Full bodied Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz Country of origin: Australia Closure: Natural cork Suitable for vegetarians Bottle: 12 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 14.5% vol. Alcohol units per bottle:10.9 Alcohol units per 125ml:1.9 Contains sulphites You must be 18 or over to purchase this product This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

Autograph Linen Blend Short Sleeve Bold Stripe Shirt, at Marks&Spencer
Smart and refined, this shirt is part of an exclusive range of beautiful garments, available only in our top stores and online. It's made from superfine yarn so it feels luxuriously smooth. Designed for a stylish contemporary look and great fit

M&S 1GB Micro SD Memory Card, at Mark's & Spencer
Compatible with digital devices with a microSD card slot Read (MB /s): 10MB Write (MB /s): 3MB Available capacity: 970MB 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

Brass Band CD, at M&S
Album, Marks & Spencer

Baby Girl Card, at Marks & Spensers
Inside Message: Congratulations! This card is made with material from FSC certified sustainable forests. Protecting the world's forests for the future Approx size: 150 x 150mm

Pure Cotton Long Sleeve Hello Kitty T-Shirt, at Marks and Spencers
Fans of Hello Kitty will love this long sleeve pure cotton top featuring the popular character. A practical, easycare style

3 Authentic Woven Pure Cotton Boxers, at Marks & Spenser
Made from soft breathable cotton, these comfy boxers are ideal for everyday wear

Lightweight Check Design Tassel Scarf, at Marks n Spencer
This sophisticated check design scarf is the perfect accessory to this season's fashions. The tassel edges add a stylish finishing touch

Fairview Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2008 - Case of 6, at Marks and Spencer
Style: Dry Grape variety: 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 50% Semillon Country of origin: South Africa Closure: Screw cap Suitable for vegetarians and vegans Bottle: 6 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 13.5% vol. Alcohol units per bottle: 10.1 Alcohol units per 125ml: 1.7 Contains sulphites

Sonoma Media Unit, at Marks and Spencers
H48 x W120 x D50cm Equipment space: H11 x W110 x D49cm Made from solid oak and oak veneer This range features natural wood characteristics Finished with 2 coats durable, clear lacquer of low sheen Drawer boxes and fronts made from solid Oak. Drawer bottoms made from White Oak veneer Handle made from solid wood Top panel is veneered with solid Oak edging for strength All joints are glued and pressed together in the factory, giving more inherent strength than flat pack fittings Free eco-friendly delivery to your home. Our crews will unpack, assemble and position the item 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 This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

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