<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-05-13</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000801337</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WEBSTER FINANCIAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WBS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001414565</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Warburg Pincus Private Equity X, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O WARBURG PINCUS LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>450 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001451560</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Warburg Pincus X Partners, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O WARBURG PINCUS LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>450 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001414564</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Warburg Pincus X LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O WARBURG PINCUS LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>450 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001322709</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Warburg Pincus Partners LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>450 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000929408</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WARBURG PINCUS &amp; CO.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>450 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>NEW YORK</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>100173147</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001162870</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WARBURG PINCUS LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>450 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001239318</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KAYE CHARLES R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O WARBURG PINCUS LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>450 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001220638</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Landy Joseph P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O WARBURG PINCUS LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>450 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001414561</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Warburg Pincus X, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O WARBURG PINCUS LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>450 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (&quot;Common Stock&quot;)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-05-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>8744850</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>22.5</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Prior to the transaction reported herein, Warburg Pincus Private Equity X, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, together with an affiliated limited partnership (together, &quot;WP X&quot;), was the holder of 8,744,850  shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (&quot;Common Stock&quot;) of Webster Financial Corporation (&quot;WBS&quot;). On May 13, 2013, WP X sold 8,744,850 shares of Common Stock of WBS in the aggregate to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. for $22.50 a share, pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement dated as of May 8, 2013, among WP X, WBS, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. After giving effect to the transaction, WP X is no longer a holder of shares of Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">By reason of the provisions of Rule 16a-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the &quot;Exchange Act&quot;), Warburg Pincus X, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;WP X LP&quot;) and the general partner of WP X; Warburg Pincus X LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (&quot;WP X LLC&quot;) and the general partner of WP X LP; Warburg Pincus Partners LLC, a New York limited liability company (&quot;WP Partners&quot;) and the sole member of WP X LLC; Warburg Pincus &amp; Co., a New York general partnership (&quot;WP&quot;) and the managing member of WP Partners; Warburg Pincus LLC, a New York limited liability company (&quot;WP LLC&quot;) that manages WP X; and Messrs. Charles R. Kaye and Joseph P. Landy, each Managing General Partners of WP and Managing Members and Co-Presidents of WP LLC, may have been deemed to be the beneficial owner of the shares of Common Stock held by WP X. Messrs. Charles R. Kaye and Joseph P. Landy may have also been deemed to control (continued in footnote 3)</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">WP X, WP X LP, WP X LLC, WP Partners, WP and WP LLC. Each of WP X, WP X LP, WP X LLC, WP Partners, WP, WP LLC, and Messrs. Charles R. Kaye and Joseph P. Landy was a &quot;Reporting Person,&quot; and, collectively, the &quot;Warburg Pincus Reporting Persons&quot;.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Pursuant to Rule 16a-1(a)(4) of the Exchange Act, each of the Warburg Pincus Reporting Persons, other than WP X, herein states that this filing shall not be deemed an admission that he or it was the beneficial owner of any of the shares of Common Stock covered by this Statement. Each of WP X LP, WP X LLC, WP Partners, WP, WP LLC, and Messrs. Charles R. Kaye and Joseph P. Landy disclaims beneficial ownership of the Common Stock except to the extent of its or his pecuniary interest in such shares of Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Information with respect to each of the Warburg Pincus Reporting Persons is given solely by such Warburg Pincus Reporting Persons, and no Warburg Pincus Reporting Person has responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information supplied by another Warburg Pincus Reporting Person.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Solely for purposes of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, each of WP X, WP X LP, WP X LLC, WP Partners and WP may have been deemed a director-by-deputization by  virtue  of WP  X's contractual right to designate a representative to serve on the board of directors of WBS, which contractual right expired on March 22, 2013, when the Warburg Pincus Reporting Persons ceased to own at least 9.9% of the outstanding Common Stock. David A. Coulter became a director of WBS on July 27, 2009, and remains a director through the date of this report. Mr. Coulter is a Partner of WP and a Vice-Chairman of WP LLC. See Signatures of Warburg Pincus Reporting Persons attached as Exhibit 99.1.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Scott A. Arenare, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-05-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
