Tyler Perry Slams “Greedy” Insurance Companies Over Wildfire Policies
Tyler Perry is calling out major insurance companies for dropping policies in California just as wildfires wreak havoc on the state’s most vulnerable areas.
Perry, known for his films and philanthropy, turned to Instagram to criticize what he described as the “greedy” actions of companies that have left countless residents without crucial insurance coverage in times of disaster.
“Watching a daughter use a garden hose to try and protect her 90-year-old parents’ home because their insurance was canceled was just gut-wrenching to me,” Tyler Perry wrote in the emotional post.
“Does anyone else find it appalling that insurance companies can take billions of dollars out of communities for years and then, all of a sudden, be allowed to cancel millions of policies for the very people they became rich on?”
Perry’s post comes as wildfires continue to ravage parts of California, destroying thousands of homes and claiming 24 lives since the infernos began on January 7.
According to reports from the Los Angeles Times, certain insurers haven’t renewed policies in fire-prone areas, including Pacific Palisades and Altadena, leaving residents in high-risk zones scrambling for protection.
“People who have paid premiums all of their lives are left with nothing because of pure greed,” Perry continued. “As I am in the process of trying to figure out what steps to take to do all I can to help as many as I can, I am keeping everyone in my prayers.”
Others in the entertainment and real estate world have also weighed in on the unfolding crisis.
Jason Oppenheim, star of Netflix’s Selling Sunset and owner of The Oppenheim Group, spoke out against landlords exploiting the situation. Oppenheim told the BBC on Sunday that a client who offered $20,000 a month—$7,000 above a property’s original monthly listing—was still denied a rental because the landlord pushed for $23,000.
“There are price gouging laws in California, they’re just being ignored right now, and this isn’t the time to be taking advantage of situations,” Oppenheim said.
The devastation has left countless families displaced, with limited resources to rebuild their lives in the wake of the fires.