uninformative call centre agents

I've been a loyal customer for years. In March I was retrenched. I phoned to get info about claiming on my customer insurance plan. I phoned several times and was told that I have to fax my retrenchment letter. I asked if I can email as I don't have access to a fax. They said NO I have to fax it! I said I can only do it when possible as I'll have to go somewhere to fax. They said it is fine. I faxed it on 4 May2015. In June they started to harass me with phone calls, and every time I asked what's happening with my claim. Eventually someone gave me an email address requesting me to fax the retrenchment letter again, with more documentation. The collection calls never stopped. After numerous emails and calls (where I had to hold for 20+ before they dropped the phone without assisting me) I eventually received an email to advise me my claim was declined,as I only had 30 days to submit the documentation. Now I have to pay... how is it possible that no one told me about the 30 day period. I can't find anything in my contract, but apparently I agreed on the phone to all the t'c & c'c. I don't accept this,but no one at Home Choice can tell me what to do next. And they insisted on a fax!!!