Cheap car insurance on a US license

I know I must be doing something wrong. I arrived four days ago, excited to have immediate transportation with the '96 Honda Civic my in-laws bought for me. However, I was a little dismayed when I found that the cheapest insurance policy I could find, was ₤1,400 on my US license.

I've only filled out online quotes, and choose the "foreign license, non exchangeable option". At the moment, we've just insured my husband on the car with elephant.co.uk and he's teaching me how to drive (though he's having to relearn  little himself, not having driven in the UK in over three years), and I plan to take my driving test asap.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

Try the Post Office!  We got a very affordable policy with them on my US license. After you get your no-claims (and the UK license) after the first year, it will be MUCH cheaper. 

At the moment, we've just insured my husband on the car with elephant.co.uk and he's teaching me how to drive

You realize that legally you are still required to have insurance cover for that?   

Are you down as a named driver on your husband's policy, or is it an "any driver" policy?

I just had to be a named driver on DH's policy.  Still have to now that I have my UK license and my own car because it's too expensive to get my own policy.

I just had to be a named driver on DH's policy.

That's the key point.  There must be some policy which covers you to drive the car in question, either (a) a policy in your own name for the vehicle, (b) somebody else's policy which specifically includes you as a named driver for the vehicle, or (c) somebody else's policy which covers any driver for the vehicle (all subject to exclusions etc.).

You are not automatically covered on, say, your husband's policy for the car just because he will always be supervising you as a U.K. learner. 

I had a quote from Post Office, however it was 1500GBP. I think using the online quotation surveys isn't good for US licenses. Because they seem to either not be able to give you a quote, or it isn't accurate.

After reading an old post by Dennis, we decided to use an insurance broker. We got a quote for 540GBP with Norwich Union (who had been unable to give me a quote online) for both of us.

Now it's on to getting the UK license, and lowering my premium!

I think using the online quotation surveys isn't good for US licenses.

Most of the online quoting systems are no good for anything which could be considered slightly unusual compared to run-of-the-mill British insurance:  Non-U.K. license, kit/custom car, American car, modified car for disability, vintage car, etc.

I think we rang for a quote, actually.

My wife and I just started the process of trying to get insurance -- after finally being able to get a lease car.  For a Volvo V50 2.0D, we received a quote of ₤1505.  Tesco apparently has good rates but it took them 30 minutes to figure out they couldn't insure us without a UK license.  Maybe tomorrow we will try the post office.  Our leasing agent said he had an associate from Thomas Carrol Group (http://www.thomas-carroll.co.uk [nofollow] ) but I am waiting to hear back from them...