Thanks for the input.
Just to clarify, £1500 was to add her as a named driver on my policy. I have a TSSC member's policy with Peter James - nice area, clean licence, no claims for 30+ years and an old fart as policyholder. PJ tell me that my current underwriter wouldn't touch it for a named driver under 25. PJ have one underwriter that will - which will cost £1500. This is with 1 year's experience, clean licence and 1 year's NCB. Mileage makes no difference. This of course is the maximum low risk indicators any 18 year old could have.
I'll shop around and try the modern/classic hybrid and see if we can get it to down to a more realistic level.
It's a shame the classic underwriters have pulled up the drawbridge so sharply on young drivers. By modern standards, these are hard cars to drive - so only the reasonably competent and very committed will bother. I insured this same car at 18 out of earnings from a Saturday job - fat chance these days it would seem.
I have an older daughter who I'll freely admit is not very good at driving and wants and needs as many modern safety nets as possible. She is not interested in driving my classics, and I wouldn't want her to. This next one down is a great little driver already, but on paper she is in the same category as all the the new drivers - good or bad. Shame.
The modern car is a Fiat 500 1.2 which is much quicker and heavier than the Spitfire, gives a much greater sense of "invincibility" and will do a lot more damage to others if she gets it wrong. It is also much cheaper to insure - crazy!
I was hoping the underwriters would have developed a more nuanced approach by now after their panic attack at XR3is etc. becoming "classics". Ah well, probably another younger driver lost to the hobby of older cars. I will persevere for a bit, but am not expecting much success.
Andy