There are apps out there for anything, ranging from fun activities to useful everyday things to boring but necessary stuff. Health insurance definitely falls under the “boring but necessary” category, and yes, there are even apps for that!

Let’s take a look at a trio of health insurance apps that can inform, entertain, and just may end up being one of those factors to consider when comparing health insurance plans.

Defend Your Income

Perhaps it would be prudent to start with something on the fun side. This app is free, works for iOS and Android, and is brought to you by the Council for Disability Awareness. This is an educational game that puts you in a virtual dojo, where you ward off attacks from enemies such as respiratory disease, cancer, and pregnancy complications. Each round is followed by useful information and trivia about disabilities. Sure, it sounds goofy, but hey, it imparts useful info in a unique way, so just roll with it. Finish him!!

eHealth Mobile

This app helps you find the insurance plan, either Individual or Family, that suits you best. You can review all of the name-brand health plans available through eHealth in your neck of the woods, and offers alternatives in the areas of cost, coverage, or even choice of doctor. The app works for Android and iOS, and is free. It’s meant to be used by people who are looking for Individual or Family coverage on their own, not as part of a company-based health plan.

myCigna Mobile App

This free app for Android and iOS is designed for Cigna customers. The app has a number of functions that make the whole health insurance deal a little easier to handle. You can use it to find a health care facility, a doctor, or a dentist, for instance. You can review deductibles, claims, and account balances, as well as check out your entire family’s ID card information.

Of course, you could also get the Cigna Envoy Mobile App, which gives you everything the myCigna Mobile App gives you, but also lets you print out ID cards, search for health care with the Global Provider Directory, and send questions and concerns to Cigna via text message. This app is free as well, and works for Android and iOS.

Incidentally, other health insurance companies such as Humana and Aetna, offer similar apps. The myCigna app is simply one representative of what’s out there.

Are These Apps Really Necessary?

While it’s easy to assume that every single app out there is worth the trouble, in this particular case, yes, they’re worth it. The ability to have up to date knowledge about something as important as health insurance at your fingertips, whenever you want, simply cannot be underestimated. This becomes especially true for those seeking health insurance outside of a normal corporate benefits context.

Apps like these allow the consumer to conduct their own unbiased, informed search for the right health insurance policy, while not having to rely on an insurance agent. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any health insurance app yet that allows you to make spot comparisons of different carriers. There is, however, an app that does compare companies available for health insurance sales professionals.

In the final analysis, considering that the more information you have the better, and the above-mentioned apps are all free, really, what’s the risk?