A car stolen 30 years ago led to a surprise lien on a South Florida woman’s tag

When a South Florida woman went to renew her car’s registration, she found a lien on her tag. It was for a car she’d reported stolen more than three decades ago. So she called Help Me Howard with Brandon Beyer.

Jan Schill’s South Florida roots run deep. She was born and raised in the Sunshine State.

Jan Schill: “My whole life and my grandparents’ lives, they moved here when they were children.”

And she’s enjoyed exploring it. Especially when she was younger.

She took so many drives in one of her first cars, she gave it a name. “Trip.”

Jan Schill: “Just because it was fun to take a trip in it.”

It was a 1992. And it looked a lot like this one.

Jan Schill: “It was a Mercedes 300 Diesel. It was a great driving car, it was just so smooth and, back then, diesel was less expensive than gas.”

She says she only had the car for two years. And then it was stolen.

Jan Schill: “We parked it in the driveway and when I came out the next day it wasn’t there.”

The car was never found. She filed a claim with her insurance company and moved on.

Jan Schill: “I had to give them the title and they gave me the check.”

That was more than 30 years ago.

Then in 2025, Jan got a call from the sheriff’s office.

Her car had been found in the bottom of a canal.

Jan Schill: “And I said, ‘That’s not my Mercedes anymore. I had signed it over to the insurance company.’”

She thought that was the end of it.

But months later, when she went to renew her tags, she discovered a lien had been placed against her by the company who’d towed the car out of the water.

Jan Schill: “And I said, ‘Well, I’ve never had a car towed recently, it must be wrong,’ then they told me it was that Mercedes.”

Howard, the car has been gone for more than 30 years. Who’s responsible for paying the tow company who recovered the car?

Howard Finkelstein: “The insurance company is responsible, and here’s why. When Jan’s car was stolen, and not recovered, her insurance company declared it a total loss and paid Jan the value of the car. At that point, the insurance company became the owner of the car, so they are responsible for paying the tow company who recovered the car.”

We reached out to Jan’s insurance company who thanked us for alerting them.

The same week, they sent a check to the tow company who pulled the car from the canal, who then lifted the lien they’d placed on Jan.

Jan Schill: “They had me on a merry-go-round, I could have never gotten it done, ever.”

Jan was finally able to renew her tags.

And she’s still behind the wheel, exploring her home state.

Jan Schill: “It was so quick. Within 24 hours, things were moving on this, so thank you so much.”

Jan’s story is unique, but people get their cars totaled and paid off all the time.

Howard says if that happens to you, ask your insurance company for proof that they notified the DMV of change of ownership.

Got a problem? Need a hand? Here’s how to find us below. It’s Help Me Howard. I’m Brandon Beyer, 7News.