For defined benefit pension plans, the actuarial present value of benefits (whether vested or nonvested) attributed by the pension benefit formula to employee service rendered before a specified date and based on employee service and compensation (if applicable) before that date. The accumulated benefit obligation differs from the projected benefit obligation in that it includes no assumption about future compensation levels. For plans with flat-benefit or nonpay-related pension benefit formulas, the accumulated benefit obligation and the projected benefit obligation are the same.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph e

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6962843&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Accumulated Benefit Obligation

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6503844

Pension And Other Postretirement Benefits (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended				15 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2007	Mar. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2010 Webster Bank Pension Plan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 The Fund [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 The Fund [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 The Fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Contributions		$ 100,000				$ 100,000		$ 1,400,000	$ 800,000
Amount the Fund is undervalued by							5,900,000
Percentage of employee pretax contribution matched 100% by the Company				2.00%	2.00%
Percentage of employee pretax contribution matched 50% by the Company				6.00%	4.00%
Percentage of non-elective contributions to plan participants	2.00%
Minimum age of employees who received transition credits	35
Percentage of annual compensation classified as transition credits. minimum	1.00%
Percentage of annual compensation classified as transition credits. maximum	6.00%
Maximum percentage of employee's pre-tax contributions fully matched by the Company	5.00%
Automatic pre-tax contribution, percentage of compensation	3.00%
Percentage of non-elective contribution eliminated	2.00%
Compensation expense	12,100,000	11,900,000	12,900,000
Net actuarial loss	6,500,000
Prior service cost	73,000
Accumulated benefit obligation	182,400,000	149,300,000
Expected long-term return on assets	7.75%
Assumed healthcare cost-trend rate, current fiscal	8.00%
Assumed healthcare cost-trend rate	8.00%
Percentage decrease in healthcare cost-trend rate per year until 2015	1.00%
Percentage increase in healthcare cost-trend rate for 2011	1.00%
Healthcare-cost trend rate in 2015	5.00%
Increase in net periodic postretirement benefit cost if trend rate increased by 1%	11,784
Increase in accumulated benefit obligation if trend rate increased by 1%	311,619
Decrease in net periodic postretirement benefit cost if trend rate decreased by 1%	10,607
Decrease in accumulated benefit obligation if trend rate decreased by 1%	$ 279,218