Tip of the Month March 2007

Flood Insurance - Co-Op Advertising Program
Increase your media buying power using FEMA’s Co-Op Advertising Program. This program helps you evaluate how you advertise, provides tips to help you create a marketing plan, offers tools to help you advertise and gives you money back in the process.

The NFIP offers expertly designed newspaper templates with different flood messaging options. The more flood information in the ad, the more you're reimbursed.

High-quality NFIP magazine ad templates contain a large amount of pre-designed of flood messaging with room for agents to add their own contact information.
Add a little spice to your Yellow Pages ad with professional, ready-to-publish templates designed to promote you as a flood insurance expert. Choose from templates offering two levels of reimbursement.
The more flood information in the ad, the more you're reimbursed.
Note: Yellow Pages reimbursement is limited to a total of $5,000 per year
Professionally crafted radio scripts give you a great way to reach your local community or extend your message statewide. All scripts offer a large amount of pre-determined flood messaging at 50% reimbursement.

In order to take advantage of this and many other Agent tools and resources, register at www.floodsmart.gov

It's easy to register!
Simply complete the online registration form to create your user ID and password, and then login.

Guidelines
All agents are eligible for Advertising Co-Op Program reimbursement funds up to $10,000 a year. Note: Yellow Pages reimbursement is limited to a total of $5,000 per year.
Agents with recent training are eligible for additional reimbursement.
The NFIP Advertising Co-Op Program Administrator must pre-approve all reimbursement requests.   You can request pre-approval online by selecting your ad template and clicking on

 Request Pre-Approval.

• Pre-approved advertisements must be displayed in media vehicles that are appropriate for flood and/or insurance advertising.
• Any alterations to the templates, other than resizing or adding your agency information, will result in the ad being disqualified for reimbursement.
• A newspaper tear sheet, Yellow Pages or station log sheet and a copy of the online pre-approval confirmation must accompany the final reimbursement application. If you are claiming the training reimbursement rate, a training certificate must accompany your reimbursement application.
• Reimbursement is available only for NFIP-produced ad templates, after the expense is incurred and the ad has run.
• Agents are reimbursed directly. (Please note: no media vendor or other vendor will receive the reimbursement funds.)

The NFIP reserves the right to create spending limits for, modify, or discontinue the Co-Op Program at any time. The NFIP reserves the right to deny reimbursement if these guidelines are not met.

Procedures
Streamlined reimbursement procedures are easy to follow.

• To receive reimbursement, all agents must submit a one-time-only Participant Payment Form [PDF 32K] [text only version] [8K].
• Request pre-approval for ad reimbursement at least 7 business days prior to the run or air date of the first ad. You must request pre-approval for each ad you intend to use – without pre-approval, you will not receive reimbursement.
• Submit your pre-approval request online! Simply find the ad template you would like to use and click on Request Pre-Approval.
• Your request will be instantly available online from your profile page.
• Send in your full reimbursement application within 90 days after the expense was incurred (indicated by a paid invoice) or the initial run or air date. All reimbursement invoices, ad slicks, radio station logs and training certifications should be sent to the NFIP Advertising Co-Op Program Administrator.
• Payments are made twice monthly, directly to the agent. Reimbursement applications submitted after the 90-day deadline will be ineligible for reimbursement funds.
• All discrepancies in claims and/or amounts must be submitted within 30 days of the payment date.

The NFIP reserves the right to create spending limits for, modify, or discontinue the Co-Op Program at any time. The NFIP reserves the right to deny reimbursement if these procedures are not met.

                Contacts
For additional information about the Program, contact the NFIP Advertising Co-Op Program Administrator:
T: (404) 365-7509
F: (404) 365-7499
E: nfipCo-Op@jwt.com