MTN INSURANCE CLAIM

I took a contract phone with insurance from MTN 22 months ago... I have been paying and doing everything right and honestly they also have been ok. I have lost the phone twice and have in both instances claimed it from the insurance and the service has been brilliant. however, things have changed. on the 7th of March, I lost my phone and as usual, I went to report it to the police, opened a case, and started the process to claim for a replacement. on the 11th of march, I lodged my claim and on the same day, I received an email from them acknowledging the email. a few days later they emailed me saying that the IMEI that I have provided in my claim form does not correspond with what they have in their system. I told them that the phone was a replacement. they later requested that I provide them with a proof of replacement. to me, this was all new as I have never come across anything like that before. in my previous claims, they would just send me a device via a courier and that's it, there would be no documents whatsoever accompanying it. so I told them that I have never received any proof of replacement. they then sent me an email saying that they have sent the information I have provided to the previous insurance administrators to confirm then they can start to process my claim. ever since then "March" the status of my application has been the same. they are still waiting to hear from the previous administrators. I have been paying since march for both the device and the insurance. It has been 3 months now of me paying for a device that I do not have. I have tried to call MTN and even went to the branch but unfortunately, there is not progress. this has put me in a very disadvantaged situation. as a student, I rely on my phone to access internet and study material and for the past 3 months, I really have been struggling. I am worried about my studies. I do not know of what to do anymore.