50 % Payout on Funeral Cover yet 13 premiums paid

In 2014 December I took out a funeral policy to cover my mother and 3 brothers. This policy commenced on the 1st January 2015 and the premium is paid in advance to cover the month ahead. On the 31st December 2015 my mother passed on, when I submitted the claim I was told they will pay 50% as my mother died on the last day of the first 12 months. My query is they are penalising us for the hours and yet they had already deducted 13 premiums on that date. I believe I was treated unfairly as I had already paid more than the 12 premiums of the waiting period