Life insurance is a virtual staple of Western financial planning, where the rising costs of college education, unpredictably fluctuating mortgages, and a plethora of other social considerations can leave parents scurrying frantically for some kind of security for their offspring. Just 20 or so years ago, the endowment policy was en vogue, and sought to quell these many fears. Why, then, have they declined in recent years (although it is important to note, more so in the U.S. than in the…