Beneficiary of Life Insurance Policy's whereabouts is unkown

My father died more than 12 years ago. All of a sudden an insurance company sent a letter asking for help in locating the beneficiary for a policy my father was the insured on. The beneficiary is his mother whom I never met and would be about 100 years old if alive. She obviously never claimed this and nobody knows where she is. I presume she is dead and in another country and has been probably for 30 years. What are my legal options? Is there any way to get the insurance company to give the benefit to my mom who is the rightful heir to his estate with a survivorship affidavit? to avoid probate? He had no will and no executor appointed. Will the money eventually go to his estate or unclaimed funds? If so how long will the insurance company wait to do that? I am in New York City.