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 Mark's & Spencer, 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 Home Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, savings products, M&S Credit Cards, M&S Loans, and much more besides.

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 Home 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 and 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.

Besides Marks and Spencers Car Insurance, M&S Finance Credit Cards and other financial products, M&S Finance Home 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 Finance 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 Finance Premier Home Insurance and Standard Home 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.

3 Autograph Cotton Rich Stripe Trunks, at Mark's & Spencer
Comfortable, practical and fashionable, this 3 pack of trunks is made with soft breathable cotton

Per Una 3/4 Sleeve Crochet Trim Cardigan, at Mark & Spencers
A cosy 3/4 sleeve knitted cardigan featuring a contrast trim

Handcrafted Someone Special Daffodils Easter Card, at Marks & Spencer
Cover text: Happy Easter to someone special Inside message: blank for your own message Approx size: 178 x 125mm

Autograph Pure Silk 3 Layer Short Sleeve Top, at Marks & Spencer
Part of Autograph's Luxe Tradition trend. Luxurious and contemporary with a sense of British heritage, this trend features a soft colour palette, modern prints and beautiful fabrics. A sophisticated look for the new season

Autograph Milan Double Towel Rail, at Marks and Spencer
Double towel rail H7 x W49.6 x D12.87cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Sequin Cushion, at Marks & Spencer
Rectangular shape Sequin detail L30 x W40cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Stainless Steel Turner, at Mark & Spensers
Hanging loop Slotted design L34.5cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Abbey Compact 2-Seater Sofa, at Marks and Spencer
H95 x W176 x D97cm Seat H54cm (all dimensions are approximate) Seat cushions filled with shape-retaining foam - superior quality foam with a high density for added comfort and support Fabric options feature reversible cushions 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™ - 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 samples: Order up to 6 free swatch samples of any fabric to help you choose your upholstery by calling 0845 603 1 603 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

Chateau Darzac Reserve 2008 - Case of 12, at M&S
Grape variety: 35% Sauvignon, 40% Smillon, 25% Muscadelle Country of origin: France Closure: Synthetic closure Suitable for vegetarians and vegans Bottle: 12 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 12% vol Alcohol units per bottle: 9 Alcohol units per 125ml: 1.5 Contains sulphites You must be 18 or over to purchase this product

Pure Cotton Damask Bathmat, at M & S
Damask design Bathmat: 50 x 80cm Pedestal mat: 50 x 55cm Bathmat and pedestal mat must be purchased separately, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Pavilion Cereal Bowl, at Marks n Spencer
Round shape Stripe detail Height 5.5 cm, diameter 16.5cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

3 Pure Cotton Short Sleeve Tops, at Mark's & Spencer
Cute and practical, this pack of 3 tops is great value. The soft cotton fabric will keep her happy and comfy

Cotton Rich Revere Stripe Pyjamas, at Marks and Spencer
Pretty and feminine, these stripe pyjamas are made from soft breathable cotton for a comfortable night's sleep

Younger Boys' Wrap Around Sunglasses, at M+S
Fashionable and fab, these wrap around sunglasses give 100% UV protection for safer style in the sun

Pure Cotton Short Sleeve Thomas & Friends© T-Shirt, at Marks & Spensers
Fans of Thomas & Friends will love this cotton t-shirt featuring Thomas. A practical, easycare style

Hand Finished Characters & Text Mother's Day Card, at Marks and Spenser
Cover text: BEST MUM IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD! Inside message: With love on Mother's Day Approx size: Unfolded: 178 x 126mm

Collezione Luxury Wool Rich Trousers with Cashmere, at Marks & Spencer
Italian style is renowned for its attention to detail. Each collezione piece is designed with that same passion, using the finest fabrics and best tailoring techniques. Inspired by Italian flair, we've lavished time and care on these trousers to give you a feeling of luxury like no other

Stormwear™ Long Sleeve Hooded Jacket, at Mark's & Spencer
This soft and cosy hooded jacket offers quality at an outstanding value price. It's treated with our unique Stormwear™ finish, making it resistant to water and stains.

M&S Flush Wall Mount with Tilt for 23-32'' TV, at M+S
Fits LCD, TFT and plasma screens from 23-32 inches Slim fit and tilt VESA compliant for 23-32in screens Simple 3-part assembly Drilling template supplied Dimensions: H28.5 x W78.5 x D8.5cm This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more 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, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

M&S 3-Tier Steamer, at Marks & Spensers
3 steaming compartments 3.2 litre capacity per compartment 750 watt Water refill facility (max: 1.5L, min: 0.8L) Water window 1.4 litre rice bowl Digital timer and alarm Auto-stop Baskets collapse for storage Dimensions: H44 x W37 x D34cm Stainless steel 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 , Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Girls' Limited Pure Cotton Single Breasted Jacket, at Marks and Spencer
Part of Girls Limited, a contemporary casual collection in trend-conscious styles and soft comfortable fabrics, designed for easy layering. Perfect for stylish girls who love looking fashionable

Pure Cotton Long Sleeve 'Little Builder Buddies' T-Shirt, at Marks & Spencers
Fun and comfy, this practical pure cotton long sleeve 'little builder buddies' t-shirt features a motif desgn. The shoulder poppers make it easier to dress him

Blue Harbour Cotton Rich Stripe Swim Shorts, at Marks & Spencers
A great value pair of shorts offering a secure fit, while multiple pockets should come in handy for that relaxing walk on the beach

Clever Baby Touch & Learn Colours Book, at Marks & Spencers
Touch and Learn Colours encourages 1 to 2 year olds to build on their learning skills. Its lot of fun too with chunky tabs to choose from and different textures to touch and explore

Sony Cyber-shot™ DSC-W270S Digital Camera, at Marks & Spensers
Pixels: 12.1 Megapixels Zoom: optical x 5, digital x 10 (aprrox), Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 28mm wide angle for panoramic landscapes and large group shots Screen: 2.7-inch (230K dot) Clear Photo LCD plus screen with wide viewing angle ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 Dimensions: W97.6 x H56.6 x L22.6mm Enhanced Face Detection Enhanced Face Detection with selectable adult/child priority high-speed subject tracking for clearer portraits. Includes Face Motion Detection Enhanced Smile Shutter Enhanced Smile Shutter automatically fires shutter when subject smiles: now easier to use with adjustable smile threshold Intelligent Scene Recognition Intelligent Scene Recognition simplifies shooting by choosing best settings for difficult conditions such as twilight portraits and backlit scenes Optical SteadyShot High sensitivity ISO 3200 and Clear RAW Noise Reduction for high-quality images with reduced blur during handheld shooting in low light HD Output HD output to view video and still images on HD TV (requires optional cable). PhotoTV HD enhances still image viewing on compatible BRAVIA TV BIONZ processor BIONZ processor for enhanced image quality, reduced image noise and fast shooting response HD Slideshow HD Slideshow with music offers fun image display with effects and music on LCD or connected HD TV Free 2 year guarantee 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

Per Una Multi Heart Cluster Rope Necklace, at Marks & Spensers
Tie fastening Multi heart cluster design Rope necklace Necklace length: 78cm

Blue Harbour Heritage Pure Cotton Self Stripe Jacket, at Marks and Spenser
A smartly tailored Blue Harbour self-stripe jacket in pure cotton fabric

M&S Sandwich Toaster, at M&S
Interlocking handle Non-stick sandwich plate Diagonal sandwich divider Non slip feet for added stability Power on light showing that the unit is on and heating up Temperature ready light This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more 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, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Per Una Pinstripe Panelled Skirt, at Marks & Spencer
An elegant long length skirt in a soft cotton blend featuring a pinstripe design

Artificial Organic Orchid with Bowl, at Marks and Spencers
Artificial orchid Ribbed bowl No watering required therefore easy care Fresh looking throughout the year Diameter: 48cm, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

When you're shopping at Mark's & Spencer 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 Finance. Offering everything from savings accounts and credit cards, to Home Insurance and Car Insurance, there's a lot more going on at MarksandSpencer than you might imagine.

In particular, if you're thinking of travelling soon, then consider Travel Insurance from M&S Finance. 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 Finance, you would have been in good hands; within just a short time of the volcanic ash disruptions, visitors to the M&S Finance 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."