Approximately 40% of Fire Insurance Quote Requests Involve Pre-1981 Seismic Standard Properties; 30-Point Gap in Earthquake Insurance Demand Between Those With and Without Mortgages

Mt.flowers Inc. (Headquarters: Koto-ku, Tokyo), operator of the fire insurance comparison service "wismoney," has analyzed request trends based on building age and mortgage status, using data collected from March 2025 to February 2026.

Building seismic standards underwent major revisions in 1981 and 2000, leading to variations in seismic performance based on construction date. Furthermore, since fire insurance is typically required while paying off a mortgage, the presence of a loan likely influences insurance selection.

The survey found that 37.5% of quote requests were for properties built under the old seismic standards (pre-1981), and when combined with the new seismic standards (1982–2000), these account for 76.4% of the total. Additionally, the demand for earthquake insurance reached 78.2% among users with mortgages, a nearly 30-point difference compared to 47.6% for those without. The data also highlights that 42.9% of requests for old-standard properties were for vacant homes, exceeding those for residential use (37.3%), illustrating how insurance needs and contract styles vary significantly by building age.

1. Seismic Standard Classification of Requested Properties — Old Seismic Standards (Pre-1981) Account for 37.5%, with Over Three-Quarters Built Before 2000

Classifying wismoney's data into "Old Seismic Standards (pre-1981)," "New Seismic Standards (1982–2000)," and "2000 Standards and Later," the most common category was New Seismic Standards at 38.9%, followed closely by Old Seismic Standards at 37.5%. Properties built under the 2000 standards or later accounted for only 23.6%, indicating that more than three-quarters of requests are for properties built before 2000.

The "New Seismic Standards" were introduced in 1981, and in 2000, standards regarding joints and shear wall placement in wooden houses were strengthened. The high proportion of old-standard properties suggests that many homes are reaching a point where insurance reviews or renewals are necessary due to aging.

2. Mortgage Status and Contract Style — 86% of Those With Mortgages Prefer 5-Year Contracts; 30-Point Gap in Earthquake Insurance Demand

Looking at mortgage ownership by building age, 54.7% of properties within 10 years old have mortgages, while this drops to 39.1% for 11–20 years, 17.8% for 21–30 years, 9.7% for 31–40 years, and 7.1% for 41 years or older, showing a decline in mortgage prevalence as buildings age. This suggests that motivations for insurance change as mortgages are paid off.

Comparing contract styles by mortgage status revealed significant differences. Regarding contract duration, 85.6% of users with mortgages prefer 5-year contracts, compared to only 47.0% for those without, where 35.4% opt for 1-year contracts. There is also a major gap in earthquake insurance demand, with 78.2% of those with mortgages opting for it.