Clientele conning its way out of paying a claim

I have a funeral cover for my brother since 2006 till now which makes it 17 years and have been loyal with payment. My brother passed on on the 26th November 2022, we had payed till October 2022 and defaulted in November 2022. I was sick and could not claim then. I called clientelle today to claim and I was told they will be no payment cos we defaulted one month. I asked when did the policy lapse, and was told in December, which is 3 months after the default but it was confirmed by Karabo the supervisor before my brother passed on. So I asked Karabo to confirm the meaning of Lapsing and he told me something I have never heard of. I have worked in insurance and I know what policy lapse means. So he basically gave the meaning in Clientelle's terms. I know you are still covered till policy lapses. In all these nobody asked why we defaulted for a month after being loyally paying for 17 years, all I got was a NO, we not gonna pay. Clientelle trying for find ways not to pay.