-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 CmxmAmN+tJc4HM1F8alye7YuhrPpiq7nE3HEc4L4/lbj0rEPeOEtJHp/KpTV9Toz
 nJCXg6tRnlFD2ZNGOSBTtw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000801337-04-000003.txt : 20040105
<SEC-HEADER>0000801337-04-000003.hdr.sgml : 20040105
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040105114132
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000801337-04-000003
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040102
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040105

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HEALY WILLIAM
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001197554

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-31486
		FILM NUMBER:		04502537

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		WEBSTER FINANCIAL CORP
		STREET 2:		145 BANK ST
		CITY:			WATERBURY
		STATE:			CT
		ZIP:			06702

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			WEBSTER FINANCIAL CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000801337
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SAVINGS INSTITUTION, FEDERALLY CHARTERED [6035]
		IRS NUMBER:				061187536
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		WEBSTER PLAZA
		STREET 2:		145 BANK ST
		CITY:			WATERBURY
		STATE:			CT
		ZIP:			06720
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2037532921

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		WEBSTER PLAZA
		CITY:			WATERBURY
		STATE:			CT
		ZIP:			06720
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001197554d20040105f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-02</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000801337</issuerCik><issuerName>WEBSTER FINANCIAL CORP</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>WBS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001197554</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>HEALY WILLIAM</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>WEBSTER PLAZA</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>WATERBURY</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>06702</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Executive Vice President - CFO</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-02</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>162</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>45.86</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>17913</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeT
able><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>29.84</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2004-12-17</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-12-17</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>19100</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>19100</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>34.6</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-12-16</value></exerc
iseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-12-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>19259</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>19259</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>45.55</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2004-12-15</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-12-15</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>11619</value></un
derlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>11619</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>30.6</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-04-26</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-04-26</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>
D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">4 yr. incremental vesting - 25% vests each year for 4 years</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Renee P. Seefried by Power of Atty.</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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