Glossary
Cooperation clause
The part of an insurance policy that requires you to help your own insurer investigate, settle or defend a claim, for example by giving statements and documents.
General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state.
Quick answer
A cooperation clause is the part of an insurance policy that requires you to help your own insurer investigate, settle or defend a claim. It usually means reporting the crash promptly, answering questions, giving statements and documents, and sending on any legal papers you receive.
In a car accident claim#
The clause matters in two situations: when you claim on your own policy, such as personal injury protection, collision or uninsured motorist coverage, and when someone sues you and your insurer defends you. Many policies put it under a heading like "Duties after an accident or loss". They may also let the insurer require medical exams or an Examination under oath. Formal questioning of a policyholder by their own insurer, under oath and usually recorded by a court reporter. Many policies allow the insurer to require one before it pays. Glossary.
The California Department of Insurance tells drivers to cooperate with insurance adjusters and investigators, and notes that the policy requires cooperation with the company's Subrogation. An insurer's right to be repaid from your settlement for what it already paid on your behalf. Glossary efforts. State law can back the clause up: in Florida, submitting to an examination under oath is a condition of receiving PIP benefits. If you refuse to cooperate, your insurer may argue that you broke the policy terms, which can put your coverage at risk.
The clause applies to your own insurer only. It does not oblige you to give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement. Our guides to the recorded statement and the insurance adjuster cover both sides.
Example#
Related terms#
Questions people ask
Do I have to give my own insurer a recorded statement?
If your policy requires cooperation, usually yes. Many people ask which coverage the statement is for, schedule it for a time when they have their notes, and ask for a copy afterward.
What happens if I don't cooperate with my insurance company?
The insurer may delay the claim or argue that it does not have to pay. Whether it can deny coverage depends on the policy wording and state law.
Sources
- California Department of Insurance, So you've had an accident: what's next? — cooperating with adjusters, statements and examinations under oath
- District of Columbia DISB, Consumer Federation of America's guide to navigating the auto claims maze — statements to your own insurer and the other insurer
- Florida Legislature, Florida Statutes § 627.736(6)(g) — as of October 2026
Last reviewed October 29, 2026 by the Accident Claim Facts editorial team. Found an error? Tell us.
Keep reading
- GlossaryGlossaryShort, plain-English definitions of the legal and insurance terms that come up after a crash, each with an example, related terms and the sources behind it.
- The claim processRecorded statementWhy insurers ask for recorded statements, how your own insurer differs from the other driver's, how statements are used later, and what people usually do to…
- The claim processInsurance adjusterWho the adjuster works for, what they do with a claim, the deadlines many states set for insurers, what a reservation of rights letter means, and how to…
- GlossaryCrash reportThe official report an officer writes after investigating a crash, with the drivers, vehicles, witnesses and the officer's notes.
- GlossaryDamagesThe money a court can award, or a settlement pays, to make up for losses caused by someone else's wrong.
- GlossaryDepositionSworn testimony given out of court, in front of a court reporter, during discovery.