Webster Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

Jan 23, 2006

WATERBURY, Conn., Jan 23, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Webster Financial Corporation (NYSE: WBS), the holding company for Webster Bank, N.A., announced that its board of directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $.25 per common share.

The dividend is payable on February 21, 2006 to shareholders of record on February 6, 2006. This is the 74th consecutive quarterly dividend since Webster first paid a dividend in 1987.

Webster Financial Corporation is the holding company for Webster Bank, National Association and Webster Insurance. With $17.8 billion in assets, Webster provides business and consumer banking, mortgage, insurance, financial planning, trust and investment services through 157 banking offices, 304 ATMs, telephone banking and the Internet. Webster Bank owns the asset-based lending firm Webster Business Credit Corporation, the insurance premium finance company Budget Installment Corp., Center Capital Corporation, an equipment finance company headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut and provides health savings account trustee and administrative services through HSA Bank, a division of Webster Bank.

For more information about Webster, including past press releases and the latest annual report, visit the Webster website at www.websteronline.com.

Media Contact                      Investor Contact

Clark Finley 203-578-2287 Terry Mangan 203-578-2318 cfinley@websterbank.com

tmangan@websterbank.com

SOURCE Webster Financial Corporation

Media Contact Clark Finley +1-203-578-2287 cfinley@websterbank.com Investor Contact
Terry Mangan +1-203-578-2318 tmangan@websterbank.com
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