Longworth v. Great American Insurance

In 1937 the New York Legislature first permitted husbands and wives to ¡sue each other for injuries caused by the negligence of the other. But, for ¡fear that couples would defraud itheir insurance companies with sham accidents and injuries, ¡and with half-hearted defenses, the Legislature exempted liability carriers from indemnifying interspousial lawsuits unless they expressly chose to offer such coverage. (L. 1937, oh. 669; Insurance Law, § 167, .subd. 3.)

Here we have a man injured through the negligence of his wife on his way out the door of their marriage.

Dorothy and John Longworth were…