Home insurance in Japan is offered by 1 insurer covering both buildings and contents, with options from legacy incumbents to price-comparison-native challengers. Compare the rebuild cost (not market value) for buildings cover, and check whether contents cover includes accidental damage and high-value items above single-article limits.
Compare the top 9 Japanese home insurance providers, with premiums from ¥30000 /year. Data current as of 23 October 2026 and updated daily from the Giraffy database.
13 live offers compared from 9 providers, from ¥30000 /year. Updated daily.
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Home insurance (kasai hoken, literally fire insurance) protects your dwelling and its contents against fire, storm, flood, water damage and theft. Given Japan's exposure to typhoons, heavy rain and earthquakes, cover here is especially important — though earthquake damage requires a separate, government-linked earthquake insurance rider (jishin hoken) that cannot be bought on its own.
Home insurance is a non-life (sonpo) product from general insurers and direct online brands. Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, Tokio Marine, Aioi Nissay Dowa, Sony Sonpo and Zurich Japan offer building and contents fire policies, with AXA Direct Japan and telecom-linked distributors such as docomo and au broadening access. Fire policies are frequently arranged alongside mortgages, and the standardised earthquake rider is offered on top with premiums set within a national framework.
Broad peril cover — protects against fire, typhoon, flood, water leaks, falling objects and theft in one policy.
Earthquake option — the jishin hoken rider adds partial cover for earthquake, tsunami and volcanic damage that fire cover excludes.
Contents and liability — insures belongings and can include personal liability for accidental damage to others' property.
Decide whether you need building cover (owners) or only contents (renters), and set the sum insured to the realistic rebuild or replacement cost. Given Japan's climate, confirm typhoon, flood and water-damage cover suits your location, and strongly consider the earthquake rider — it pays a percentage of the fire sum insured. Compare premiums, deductibles, policy length (multi-year fire policies exist) and any discounts for newer or quake-resistant buildings.
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, Tokio Marine and Aioi Nissay Dowa are major domestic non-life insurers with full home-cover ranges. Sony Sonpo and AXA Direct Japan lead the direct online segment on price and convenience, Zurich Japan brings global expertise, and docomo and au distribute cover through their large customer bases.
Annual premiums vary with building type, size, location risk and cover level; a representative figure in the market is around ¥30,000 a year for a standard policy, rising for larger homes, higher-risk areas or added earthquake cover. Earthquake insurance premiums depend on region and building structure under the national scheme. Multi-year fire policies and quake-resistant or fireproof construction can lower the effective annual cost.
Insurers are licensed non-life companies supervised by the Financial Services Agency (FSA) under the Insurance Business Act, and are backed by the Non-Life Insurance Policyholders Protection Corporation of Japan. Earthquake insurance operates under a special law with government reinsurance, giving it standardised terms and pricing across insurers. Clear policy disclosure and a cooling-off period protect buyers.
Does home insurance cover earthquakes? No — standard fire insurance excludes earthquake, tsunami and volcanic damage; you must add the separate government-linked earthquake rider.
Do renters need it? Yes — a contents and liability policy protects belongings and covers accidental damage to the property, and landlords often require it.
The cheapest Home Insurance in Japan is ¥30000 /year from Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance.
Giraffy tracks 13 home insurance products across 9 insurers in Japan. The lowest tracked price is ¥30000 /year. Premiums depend on your property type, rebuild or replacement cost, contents value, and local claims history — compare multiple quotes to find the best deal for your specific circumstances.
Buildings insurance covers the structure of your home — walls, roof, floors, and permanent fixtures — against events like fire, flood, or subsidence. Contents insurance covers your belongings inside the home. Many insurers offer combined buildings and contents policies, which is often better value than buying separately.
As a tenant, you're responsible for insuring your own belongings (contents insurance), not the building — that's the landlord's responsibility. Tenants' contents insurance covers your possessions against theft, fire, and accidental damage. Some policies also cover items outside the home.
Standard exclusions include: general wear and tear, damage caused by pests, mechanical breakdown, and damage due to poor maintenance. Flood and earthquake cover is often sold separately — especially in high-risk areas. Always check exclusions carefully — especially for high-value items like jewellery above a single-item limit.
The excess is the amount you contribute towards a claim before the insurer pays the rest. A higher voluntary excess reduces your premium. Make sure you could comfortably pay the full excess amount in an emergency.
Buildings cover should reflect the rebuild cost — what it would cost to demolish and rebuild your home from scratch — not the market value. These figures can differ significantly. Many insurers provide online rebuild calculators; a professional assessment is more accurate for unusual or period properties.