Lowe's review: Lowes protection plan on hot water heater

We purchased an AO Smith Hot Water Tank/Heater in March of 2020 and in March of 2023 it quit working and flooded our garage and kitchen. We contacted our local Lowe's Service Desk with our receipt for the tank to which they responded they could not find our Lowes Protection Plan and directed us to find the supporting paperwork despite the protection plan charge was on the same receipt. We found the paperwork and went back to our local Lowes Service Desk and the clerk had to call management as she did not know how to handle our claim. We were told we would need to contact a 1-800 number as the Lowes Protection Plans are no longer handled in store. In the meantime, we purchased another hot water tank just like the damaged one (AO Smith 40 gal) from our local Lowes. When we contacted the 1-800 number they proceeded to tell us they could not reimburse us for the replacement hot water tank because we did not file a claim? This was why we were calling the 1-800 number since it could not be handled through the service desk of the local Lowes Store. I would like to know when the process changed for Lowes Protection Plans and how we can be reassured that our business with Lowes can still be considered trustworthy. We have spent a lot of time and money doing business with Lowes and have never had a problem.