18 June 2010

M&S Insurance Scoops Industry Awards

M&S Money has been named ‘most trusted motor insurance provider’ and ‘best travel insurance provider for service’ at the 2010 Moneywise Customer Service Awards.

The award winners follow the largest dedicated customer service survey held in the UK and were presented in front of 270 guests and industry leaders at a black-tie gala in the City of London on Thursday 17th June.

From January to March 2010 more than 10,000 responses were received via Moneywise magazine and Moneywise.co.uk and carefully analysed by CoreData Research.

This information was used to identify those companies, which offer the best service and those, which are most trusted to provide these services, according to the British public.

M&S Money was also highly commended in the following categories: ‘most trusted travel insurance provider’ and ‘best motor insurance provider for service’
M&S Premier Car Insurance protects the policy holder, not just their car, and includes RAC breakdown cover, motor legal protection and a hire car for up to 14 days*.

M&S Travel insurance offers single trip or annual multi-trip cover. The independent traveller section of the policy** helps customers who choose to travel independently and may not benefit from the protection provided via a package tour. This year M&S Money helped travel insurance customers who were affected by the volcanic ash that grounded flights.

Colin Kersley, M&S Money Chief Executive, said: ‘All our insurance policies are designed with the M&S customer in mind, and we are delighted that M&S Car and Travel Insurance have been recognised at the Moneywise awards.’

For more information about M&S Car Insurance or to apply, customers can visit www.marksandspencer.com/carinsurance or telephone 0800 107 1800

For more information about M&S Travel Insurance or to apply, customers can visit www.marksandspencer.com/travelinsurance or telephone 0800 731 2424.

Ends

Notes to editors

* Breakdown cover is provided by RAC for M&S customers and is not available directly from RAC.co.uk.

** Independent Traveller cover is included as standard in M&S Premier annual multi-trip travel insurance, and is available as an optional extra with single trip travel insurance.

For further information please call the M&S Money press office:

Simon Coughlin on 020 7992 1574
simon.coughlin@mandsmoney.com

Liz Neild on 01244 686 068
liz.a.neild@mandsmoney.com

M&S Money (the trading name of Marks & Spencer Financial Services) was founded in 1985 as the financial services division of Marks and Spencer Group plc, making 2010 the company's 25th anniversary.

The company is a top-ten credit card provider and the second-largest travel money retailer in the UK.  M&S Money also offers a range of insurance cover, including home insurance and car insurance, as well as loans, savings and investment products.

In November 2004, Marks & Spencer sold M&S Money to HSBC. HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 8,000 offices in 88 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$2,364 billion at 31 December 2009, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as ‘the world’s local bank’.

M&S Money has an executive committee comprising an equal number of representatives from HSBC and Marks & Spencer.

M&S Car Insurance is arranged by BISL Ltd using a panel of insurers.

M&S Travel Insurance is provided by AXA Insurance UK plc.