Webster Shareholders Meeting Will Be April 20, 2006

WATERBURY, Conn.,-- Webster Financial Corporation (NYSE: WBS - News), the holding company for Webster Bank, N.A., announced today that its board of directors has scheduled the corporation's annual meeting of shareholders for 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on April 20, 2006 at the Courtyard by Marriott, 63 Grand Street, Waterbury, CT. The record date for shareholders to vote at the meeting is February 24, 2006.

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.

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.