§ 782 Spousal Tort Liability Limits

• •If one spouse hurts the other because they were careless or did something wrong, the money they both own together (like a shared bank account) can't be used to pay for the hurt spouse's bills until the careless spouse's own money is all used up.
• •The hurt spouse can say it's okay to use the shared money to pay the bills if they write it down after they get hurt.
• •If there's insurance or a contract to cover the bills, it can be used to pay, even if the couple paid for it with their shared money.

Husband and wife own a house and a shared bank account. The husband accidentally causes a car crash that injures the wife. The wife has medical bills to pay.

The money in their shared bank account can't be used to pay the wife's medical bills until the husband's own money is all used up. But if the wife writes a note saying it's okay, they can use the shared money to pay the bills. If they have car insurance, it can be used to pay the bills, even if they paid for the insurance with their shared money.