Fire Insurance Quote Requests: Approx. 40% for Properties Under Old Seismic Standards. Earthquake Insurance Preference Rate 78% for Those With Loans vs. 48% for Those Without, a Difference of Approx. 30 Points.
Mt.flowers Inc. has released analysis results from its fire insurance quote aggregation service, "wismoney." The study found that approximately 37.5% of quote requests were for properties built under the old seismic standards (pre-1981). Furthermore, the preference rate for earthquake insurance was 78.2% among users with home loans, significantly higher than the 47.6% among those without loans. Properties under the old seismic standards also showed a higher rate of vacant property quotes at 42.9%.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 28, 2026 at 16:25
- 🔍 Collected: March 28, 2026 at 21:59 (5h 33m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 11:38 (421h 38m after Collected)
Mt.flowers Inc. (Headquarters: Koto-ku, Tokyo), which operates the fire insurance quote aggregation service "wismoney," has analyzed quote request data gathered from March 2025 to February 2026, focusing on the classification of seismic standards based on the year of construction and the presence of a home loan, to understand trends by building age.
Japan's seismic standards were significantly revised in 1981 and 2000, and buildings constructed during different periods are said to have varying seismic performance. Moreover, fire insurance is generally required during the repayment period of a home loan, suggesting that the presence or absence of a loan influences insurance choices.
This survey found that **37.5% of quote requests were for properties under the old seismic standards (pre-1981)**, and when combined with properties under the new seismic standards (1982-2000), they accounted for 76.4% of the total. Additionally, the preference rate for earthquake insurance among users **with home loans reached 78.2%**, a difference of approximately 30 points compared to those without loans (47.6%). For properties under the old seismic standards, **quotes for vacant properties accounted for 42.9%**, exceeding those for residential use (37.3%), highlighting that insurance needs and contract styles vary significantly by building age.
1. Seismic Standard Classification of Quoted Properties - Old Seismic Standards (Pre-1981) Account for 37.5%, Over Three-Quarters of Properties Built Before 2000
When quote requests submitted to wismoney were classified into three categories based on construction year: "Old Seismic Standards (pre-1981)", "New Seismic Standards (1982-2000)", and "Post-2000 Standards", the largest share was **New Seismic Standards at 38.9%**, closely followed by **Old Seismic Standards at 37.5%**. Properties built after 2000 accounted for only 23.6%. This indicates that **over three-quarters of quote requests come from properties built before 2000**.
The seismic standards for buildings were revised to "New Seismic Standards" in 1981, and further strengthened in 2000 concerning connections and the layout of load-bearing walls for wooden houses. The fact that nearly 40% of requests are from properties under the old seismic standards is likely due to many homes reaching the timing for insurance review or renewal as they age.
(Image: Quote requests classified by seismic standard. Old and New Seismic Standards combined account for 76.4%.)
2. Loan Status and Contract Style - 86% of Loan Holders Prefer 5-Year Contracts, Approx. 30-Point Difference in Earthquake Insurance Preference Rate
Comparing loan ownership rates by age group, **54.7% of properties built within 10 years have loans**, while this figure drops to 39.1% for 11-20 years, 17.8% for 21-30 years, 9.7% for 31-40 years, and **7.1% for properties over 41 years old**. This suggests that insurance needs change as home loans are paid off.
A significant difference was observed when comparing contract styles based on loan status. Regarding contract duration, **85.6% of loan holders prefer 5-year contracts**, compared to 47.0% for those without loans, who were more likely to choose 1-year contracts (35.4%). There was also a substantial difference in earthquake insurance preference: **78.2% of loan holders answered "Yes"**, while only **47.6% of non-loan holders** did, a gap of about 30.6 percentage points.
It is generally common for long-term fire insurance to be required during home loan repayment, and financial institutions often recommend earthquake insurance. On the other hand, after loan completion, insurance flexibility increases, leading to trends like shorter contract periods and simplified coverage.
(Image: Loan holders show a strong preference for 5-year contracts and earthquake insurance, while non-loan holders lean towards 1-year contracts and no earthquake insurance.)
3. Usage Patterns by Seismic Standard Classification - 42.9% Vacant Rate for Old Standards, 76% Residential Use for Post-2000 Standards
Analyzing the usage of quote requests by the three seismic standard categories revealed clear differences in property use. For properties under the **old seismic standards (pre-1981), 42.9% were requested as vacant properties**, exceeding residential use (37.3%). For new seismic standards (1982-2000), residential use was higher at 58.5% compared to vacant properties at 26.5%. For properties **post-2000 standards, residential use accounted for 75.6%**, with vacant properties only at 8.0%.
This trend is also likely related to loan ownership. For properties under old seismic standards, the **loan ownership rate is low at 7.0%**, with most properties having already paid off their loans. These properties may include cases of inheritance or maintenance after relocation. Conversely, for properties post-2000 standards, the **loan ownership rate is high at 43.9%**, indicating many users are actively repaying home loans.
Furthermore, regarding the earthquake insurance discount for "Seismic Resistance Grade 3", the application rate for properties **post-2000 standards is 13.0%**, while it remains low at 1.0% for old seismic standards and 0.9% for new seismic standards. This suggests an increase in properties with higher seismic performance since the standards were strengthened in 2000.
(Image: Comparing the preference rates for four types of coverage by region. Chugoku/Shikoku has the highest earthquake insurance rate (57.7%), and Chubu has the highest household goods insurance rate (38.5%). The difference in earthquake insurance between regions is up to 15.5 points.)
Summary: Building Age and Loan Status Influence Fire Insurance Choices
This survey revealed that approximately 40% of quote requests were from properties under old seismic standards (pre-1981), that there are significant differences in contract duration and earthquake insurance preference rates based on loan status, and that property usage varies by seismic standard classification.
For older properties with paid-off loans, the motivation for insurance shifts from "home loan requirements" to "asset maintenance," leading to trends such as shorter contract periods and coverage reviews. The high vacancy rate for properties under old seismic standards also suggests a need for fire insurance for non-residential purposes, such as inherited properties or maintenance after relocation.
wismoney will continue to analyze and disseminate trends in fire insurance selection based on building age and loan status using quote data.
[Survey Overview]
Target: Quote request data from the fire insurance quote aggregation service "wismoney."
Survey Period: March 2025 - February 2026
Methodology: Based on input fields from the quote request form (construction year, loan status, contract duration, earthquake insurance preference, usage purpose), seismic standard classifications (Old Seismic Standards: pre-1981 / New Seismic Standards: 1982-2000 / Post-2000 Standards) were set and aggregated/analyzed.
[wismoney Fire Insurance]
Fire Insurance Quote Aggregation: https://wismoney.jp/kasai/
List of Fire Insurance Explanatory Articles: https://wismoney.jp/kasai/expert/
AI Home Risk Diagnosis: https://wismoney.jp/kasai/homerisk/
[Company Overview]
Company Name: Mt.flowers Inc.
Location: Ariake Frontier Building B Tower 9F, 3-7-26 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo
URL: https://mt-flowers.co.jp/
Japan's seismic standards were significantly revised in 1981 and 2000, and buildings constructed during different periods are said to have varying seismic performance. Moreover, fire insurance is generally required during the repayment period of a home loan, suggesting that the presence or absence of a loan influences insurance choices.
This survey found that **37.5% of quote requests were for properties under the old seismic standards (pre-1981)**, and when combined with properties under the new seismic standards (1982-2000), they accounted for 76.4% of the total. Additionally, the preference rate for earthquake insurance among users **with home loans reached 78.2%**, a difference of approximately 30 points compared to those without loans (47.6%). For properties under the old seismic standards, **quotes for vacant properties accounted for 42.9%**, exceeding those for residential use (37.3%), highlighting that insurance needs and contract styles vary significantly by building age.
1. Seismic Standard Classification of Quoted Properties - Old Seismic Standards (Pre-1981) Account for 37.5%, Over Three-Quarters of Properties Built Before 2000
When quote requests submitted to wismoney were classified into three categories based on construction year: "Old Seismic Standards (pre-1981)", "New Seismic Standards (1982-2000)", and "Post-2000 Standards", the largest share was **New Seismic Standards at 38.9%**, closely followed by **Old Seismic Standards at 37.5%**. Properties built after 2000 accounted for only 23.6%. This indicates that **over three-quarters of quote requests come from properties built before 2000**.
The seismic standards for buildings were revised to "New Seismic Standards" in 1981, and further strengthened in 2000 concerning connections and the layout of load-bearing walls for wooden houses. The fact that nearly 40% of requests are from properties under the old seismic standards is likely due to many homes reaching the timing for insurance review or renewal as they age.
(Image: Quote requests classified by seismic standard. Old and New Seismic Standards combined account for 76.4%.)
2. Loan Status and Contract Style - 86% of Loan Holders Prefer 5-Year Contracts, Approx. 30-Point Difference in Earthquake Insurance Preference Rate
Comparing loan ownership rates by age group, **54.7% of properties built within 10 years have loans**, while this figure drops to 39.1% for 11-20 years, 17.8% for 21-30 years, 9.7% for 31-40 years, and **7.1% for properties over 41 years old**. This suggests that insurance needs change as home loans are paid off.
A significant difference was observed when comparing contract styles based on loan status. Regarding contract duration, **85.6% of loan holders prefer 5-year contracts**, compared to 47.0% for those without loans, who were more likely to choose 1-year contracts (35.4%). There was also a substantial difference in earthquake insurance preference: **78.2% of loan holders answered "Yes"**, while only **47.6% of non-loan holders** did, a gap of about 30.6 percentage points.
It is generally common for long-term fire insurance to be required during home loan repayment, and financial institutions often recommend earthquake insurance. On the other hand, after loan completion, insurance flexibility increases, leading to trends like shorter contract periods and simplified coverage.
(Image: Loan holders show a strong preference for 5-year contracts and earthquake insurance, while non-loan holders lean towards 1-year contracts and no earthquake insurance.)
3. Usage Patterns by Seismic Standard Classification - 42.9% Vacant Rate for Old Standards, 76% Residential Use for Post-2000 Standards
Analyzing the usage of quote requests by the three seismic standard categories revealed clear differences in property use. For properties under the **old seismic standards (pre-1981), 42.9% were requested as vacant properties**, exceeding residential use (37.3%). For new seismic standards (1982-2000), residential use was higher at 58.5% compared to vacant properties at 26.5%. For properties **post-2000 standards, residential use accounted for 75.6%**, with vacant properties only at 8.0%.
This trend is also likely related to loan ownership. For properties under old seismic standards, the **loan ownership rate is low at 7.0%**, with most properties having already paid off their loans. These properties may include cases of inheritance or maintenance after relocation. Conversely, for properties post-2000 standards, the **loan ownership rate is high at 43.9%**, indicating many users are actively repaying home loans.
Furthermore, regarding the earthquake insurance discount for "Seismic Resistance Grade 3", the application rate for properties **post-2000 standards is 13.0%**, while it remains low at 1.0% for old seismic standards and 0.9% for new seismic standards. This suggests an increase in properties with higher seismic performance since the standards were strengthened in 2000.
(Image: Comparing the preference rates for four types of coverage by region. Chugoku/Shikoku has the highest earthquake insurance rate (57.7%), and Chubu has the highest household goods insurance rate (38.5%). The difference in earthquake insurance between regions is up to 15.5 points.)
Summary: Building Age and Loan Status Influence Fire Insurance Choices
This survey revealed that approximately 40% of quote requests were from properties under old seismic standards (pre-1981), that there are significant differences in contract duration and earthquake insurance preference rates based on loan status, and that property usage varies by seismic standard classification.
For older properties with paid-off loans, the motivation for insurance shifts from "home loan requirements" to "asset maintenance," leading to trends such as shorter contract periods and coverage reviews. The high vacancy rate for properties under old seismic standards also suggests a need for fire insurance for non-residential purposes, such as inherited properties or maintenance after relocation.
wismoney will continue to analyze and disseminate trends in fire insurance selection based on building age and loan status using quote data.
[Survey Overview]
Target: Quote request data from the fire insurance quote aggregation service "wismoney."
Survey Period: March 2025 - February 2026
Methodology: Based on input fields from the quote request form (construction year, loan status, contract duration, earthquake insurance preference, usage purpose), seismic standard classifications (Old Seismic Standards: pre-1981 / New Seismic Standards: 1982-2000 / Post-2000 Standards) were set and aggregated/analyzed.
[wismoney Fire Insurance]
Fire Insurance Quote Aggregation: https://wismoney.jp/kasai/
List of Fire Insurance Explanatory Articles: https://wismoney.jp/kasai/expert/
AI Home Risk Diagnosis: https://wismoney.jp/kasai/homerisk/
[Company Overview]
Company Name: Mt.flowers Inc.
Location: Ariake Frontier Building B Tower 9F, 3-7-26 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo
URL: https://mt-flowers.co.jp/