An 89yo spouse holds a joint annuity with her husband and is owed roughly $235k for the annuity maturity value in 2014. She received account statements through 2010 showing then present value of $214k. Today the insurance company maintains they were not notified of her husband passing away (false), so they will pay $125k, the death benefit from 20 years ago, not the full contract maturity value today. The insurance regulator (Cal DOI) says to consult a laywer and sue. Hired legal council says the $235k figure is correct. A law firm specializing in bad-faith insurance will not take the case. How should the 89yo spouse recover her lifetime nestegg before statute of limitations expire?