Main tip is: stick to Flyertalk. As you can see from previous answers, virtually all regulars here are aware that two contracts mean no protection, and despite how obvious it seems to all now, many of us discover those types of crucial things on ft. Ultimately, your lesson, however unpleasant, was a lot cheaper than it could have been (for instance if this had happened in the other direction and you had missed your f flight).

also beware most travel insurance policies exclude cases such as this.