Tyler Perry slams 'appalling' insurance companies for canceling policies ahead of L.A. fires: 'Pure greed'

Tyler Perry is criticizing the Los Angeles insurance companies that declined to renew homeowner coverage ahead of the devastating wildfires that have torn through the county.

"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," Perry began his Sunday Instagram 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 came on the heels of a Los Angeles Times report which revealed that insurance companies, including State Farm General, chose not to renew thousands of home insurance policies in 2024 in areas like Pacific Palisades and Altadena, which have since been ravaged by the fires.

"People who have paid premiums all of their lives are left with nothing because of pure greed," the Six Triple Eight director 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.

The Palisades and Eaton Fires have resulted in 16 confirmed deaths so far, with 13 people estimated to be missing and the death toll expected to mount as firefighters conduct house-to-house searches, reports Reuters. The blazes — which led California Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency — have resulted in approximately 153,000 residents being evacuated, and destroyed more than 12,000 structures.

Since the fires first broke out on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 7, several entertainers have shared their emotional reactions to seeing their homes burned to ash. This Is Us star Milo Ventimiglia returned to the remains of his Malibu home in a CBS News segment this week. "Man, it hits you so quick," he said. "You start thinking about all the memories in different parts of the house and whatnot, and then you see your neighbors' houses and everything around and your heart just breaks."

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Paris Hilton, who watched her home destroyed in live news coverage, wrote that she is "Heartbroken beyond words," adding, "Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience. This home was where we built so many precious memories."

Other celebrities who have lost their homes to the Los Angeles fires include Billy Crystal, Mandy Moore, Anthony Hopkins, Jeff Bridges, Leighton Meester, Adam Brody, Diane Warren, Anna Faris, Harvey Guillén, Jennifer Grey, Tina Knowles, Cary Elwes, John C. Reilly, Miles Teller, Joshua Jackson, and Eugene Levy. 

Click here for more information on ways to support victims of the California wildfires.