Administrator's denial of full survivorship benefits was congruent with plan and statute, but the misstatements by plan employees, when speaking on behalf of the administrator, are subject to a fiduciary duty to the recipients, and the finder of fact may determine that an equitable remedy is in order.
http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/isysquery/e79595db-c3ea-48e1-95ea-ab87f17d70cb/1/doc/16-977_16-3549_opn.pdf#xml=http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/isysquery/e79595db-c3ea-48e1-95ea-ab87f17d70cb/1/hilite/
Since 2011. An occasional commonplacing of the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal.
Neither an authoritative statement of the law nor legal advice. Quick work.