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 & Spenser 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 M&S 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 Buildings Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, savings products, M&S Credit Cards, M&S Loans, and much more besides.

Mark's & Spencer may not necessarily be the first name that springs to mind when you're thinking about renewing your Buildings Insurance or Motor Insurance, but M+S do indeed offer a comprehensive selection of financial products, all of which are competitively priced, and all of which you can purchase directly from the M&S Money website. With a simple, no-hassle service, you can compare features between a number of M&S Money products and competitor's products, and sign up in just a few minutes.

Whether you're looking for savings products or M&S Money loans, credit cards or Buildings Insurance - besides a number of other insurance products, M&S Money can save you both time and money, with comprehensive information available at a click.

Free insurance quotes are available online for all of M&S Money insurance products (Buildings Insurance, Motor Insurance, Travel Insurance, Wedding Insurance and Pet Insurance), or you may call if you wish to on the telephone number provided. Suffice to say that there is also plenty of information which you can download for each of the Marks and Spenser insurance products in document format too.

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

Big & Tall Flat Front Trousers, at Marks and Spencer
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

Younger Girls' Pure Cotton Basic Jeans, at Mark's & Spencer
These cotton jeans are great value and look striking with their contrast stitching

125 Years Luxury Pure Wool Single Breasted 2 Button Jacket, at Marks & Spencers
Part of the Commemorative Collection, celebrating 125 years of M&S. Featuring smart styles inspired by our archives

Spot Print Hipster Bikini Bottoms, at MarksandSpencer
Modern and stylish, this bikini is outstanding value. Style and quality at a great price

Elephants Sparkle in My Life Anniversary Card, at Marks & Spensers
Cover text: You're the sparkle in my life Inside message: Happy Anniversary Approx size: 175 mm x 125 mm

Per Una Embroidered Jersey Top with Camisole, at Marks and Spencer
A gorgeous jersey top with camisole featuring an embroidered neckline and diamonte button detail

Pure Cotton V-Neck Jumper and Polo Shirt, at Marks & Spensers
This fashionable layered look is a 2 piece set, a polo shirt and jumper both in soft comfortable cotton. Stylish, practical and easycare

Roll & Play Toy, at Marks & Spenser
Suitable for ages 0-3 years Encourages activity and hand-eye coordination This product conforms to EN71 and the Toy Safety Directive, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Mâcon Trio - Case of 6, at Mark's & Spencer
2 Mcon Villages 2008: A fresh and fruity white made from 100% Chardonnay, with a really appealing, lively scent of apples and lemons and a hint of ripe, rounded peach on the finish... 2 Mcon Ros 2008: A bright vivid ros with a bouquet of cherries and raspberries... 2 Mcon Rouge 2008: A soft, elegant and aromatic red wine from Burgundy with refreshing flavours of strawberries and cherries, and a smooth, ripe finish... You must be 18 or over to purchase this product This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

Per Una Senorita Long Sleeve Cardigan, at Marks & Spencers
A gorgeous feminine long sleeve cardigan in a soft knitted fabric. Rounded edging and single feature button fastening give it the Per Una touch

Pink Heart Thank You Card, at Mark's & Spencer
Cover text: Thank you Inside message: blank for your own message

Autograph Bone China Side Plate, at Marks & Spencer
Plain Diameter: 21cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Classic Guipure Vest, at Marks & Spencers
This guipure vest is outstanding value. A great opportunity to stock up your underwear drawer!

Pure Cotton Fine Ribbed Placemat, at Mark's & Spencer
Ribbed design Rectangle shape, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Multiway Padded Plunge Bra, at Marks and Spenser
This multiway padded plunge bra is flattering, comfortable and can be worn in 5 ways: conventionally, halterneck, cross back, strapless and one shoulder for the ultimate in versatility

Tulsa Love Seat, at Mark & Spencers
H96 x W137 x D98cm Seat H50cm (all dimensions are approximate) Seat cushions filled with Quallofil ExtraLife filling, an advanced 3-dimensional polyester fibre that gives long-lasting performance and helps to maintain the cushions look and shape. Provides improved resilience without compromising on softness. Easy-care and springs back to its original shape after re-fluffing 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 Solid birch feet with a dark finish 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

Balfour Brut Sparkling Rosé 2005 - Case of 6, at Marks & Spencer
Style: Dry Grape variety: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier Country of origin: England Closure: Natural cork 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

Pure Cotton Little Miss Sunshine T-Shirt, at Marks and Spencer
Fans of Mr Men will love this short sleeve cotton t-shirt featuring Little Miss Sunshine. A practical, easycare style

Pure Linen 3/4 Length Pintuck Front Shirt, at Marks and Spenser
For casual elegance, you can't beat this pintuck feature top. A great value linen essential

Nokia 2630 - Orange Pay as you talk Mobile Phone, at Marks and Spenser
A maximum of 2 phones per customer may be purchased Talk Time: Up to 6 hours Stand-by Time: Up to 320 hours Screen: 128 x 160, TFT with up to 65,536 colors Ringtones: Pre-installed MP3 and 24-voice polyphonic MIDI ringtones Camera: 4x zoom Battery: Nokia battery BL-4B, 700mAH Dimensions: L10.4 x W4.5 x D0.9cm Weight: 66g (with battery) Memory 11 MB user available memory Radio: FM radio with One Touch shortcut access key Video: Video recorder with dedicated button Applications and games: Native email, converter, calculator, world clock, download, Nokia FM radio Email Access your work and private email on the move Messaging: SMS and MMS Included in the box: Nokia Travel Charger AC-3, Nokia stereo headset HS-47 and Nokia 230 handset

Sony DCR-SX30ES Camcorder, at Mark & Spensers
Pixels: 800k pixel CCD sensor Zoom: 60x optical zoom / 2000x digital zoom Screen: 2.7'' Wide LCD with easy to use touchscreen Dimensions: 59 x W57 x 107mm Weight: 240g (without batteries and card) Video: AVI (MJPEG) movie files. Size: 640x480, 320x240, Frame rate: 30 fps, 15 fps Memory 4 GB internal flash memory, HYBRID recording on optional Memory Stick™ Image Stabilization: SteadyShot image stabilization for clearer video and stills Indexes Face Index and Film Roll Index for quick, easy searches Sound Stereo sound recording with zoom mic for clearer dialogue and sound of foreground subjects BatteryUp to 13 hours STAMINA continuous shooting time (with optional battery) USBOne Touch Disc Burn and Easy PC back up via USB 2.0 Hi-Speed connection (Output only) 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

Harmony Shoulder Bag, at Marks & Spencer
Fashionable and fabulous, this scoop handbag is designed in one of this season's key shapes. It's strong and practical as well as a trend-conscious accessory. Get the latest look!

Classic Collection Cashmilon™ Cowl Neck Jumper, at Marks & Spenser
Stylish and so comfortable, this jumper in softest cashmilon™ feels as good as it looks and the smart cowl neck adds the perfect finishing touch

Super Husband Anniversary Card, at Marks & Spencers
Cover text: To my super husband Inside message: On our anniversary xx Approx size: 230 x 114 mm This card is made with material from FSC certified sustainable forests. Protecting the world's forests for the future

Footglove™ Leather Ruched Shoes, at Marks & Spencers
Pointed toe Ruched design Slip on Mid heel Heel height: 67mm Footglove™ soles are comfortable, highly flexible and lightweight Comes in sizes 3-8, including half sizes

Classic Thomas & Friends© Bedset, at Marks & Spencer
Thomas & Friends print Includes single duvet cover, pillowase and printed bag 2007 Gullane (Thomas) Limited, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Per Una Lip Liner, at Marks and Spencers
Soft creamy texture Comes complete with brush Hypoallergenic Carmine free and GMO free Animal Free - No ingredients of animal origin

Younger Boys' Plain Fluffy Dressing Gown, at Marks & Spencers
Soft and cosy, this dressing gown is made from comfy fluffy fabric

Pure Cotton Floral Embroidered Lace Trim Cushion, at Marks & Spencers
Rectangular shape Embroidered flower design Lace trim detail Dimensions: H30 x L40cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Charlotte Armchair AU09 Newness, at Marks & Spencers
Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

When you're shopping at Mark & Spensers online store for your summer outfit, or looking for furniture to give your home a makeover, then spend a moment to also consider products from M&S Money. Offering everything from savings accounts and credit cards, to Buildings Insurance and Motor Insurance, there's a lot more going on at Marks and Spencer than you might imagine.

In particular, if you're thinking of travelling soon, then consider Travel Insurance from M&S Money. With images of volcano ash still fresh in many traveller's minds, it's good to remember there were many travellers who ended up wishing they had spent just a few pounds extra to obtain travel insurance for their trip. Of course, unfortunately, after the event is too late!

In fact, had you purchased travel insurance from M&S Money, you would have been in good hands; within just a short time of the volcanic ash disruptions, visitors to the M&S Money website would have seen a message stating that although claims relating to volcanic eruptions are not normally covered by travel insurance, that on this particular occasion, they would "allow claims from UK customers affected by the volcanic ash that has recently grounded flights."